


Off Script

by Catspook



Series: The Lynchpin Universe [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Hook is kinda smarmy but not evil, Multi, Regina positive, Rumple is stronger than he knows, Rumple whump, Starts out pretty fluffy, Then gets dark, Woobie Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Zelena is evil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-08-27 21:25:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 32
Words: 163,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8417428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catspook/pseuds/Catspook
Summary: AU - Part 3 of the Lynchpin universe - Storybrooke is gone, and it's time to rebuild the kingdoms. But Rumplestiltskin only wants to build a life with his family, a goal complicated by his own curse and enemies from his past. - Ch.32 The Golds come together, the alliance that defeated Zelena breaks apart, and Ingrid is ready to take what she was promised.





	1. Everything Will be All Right

Bae landed in the jungle with a jolt, his right foot hitting a root and sending him tumbling. _Neverland._ He had never wanted to see this place again, Shadow or no Shadow. But there hadn’t been any choice, and this time, at least, he knew his father would come for him.

He just had to stay alive until then. The magical bow he’d been carrying appeared to have vanished, but he reached into the pockets of his jeans and found his Swiss army knife (his first - and only - significant expenditure with his allowance money), his wallet, and his house key. The key was useless now, the door it belonged to now winked out of existence, but the bit of pipe attached to it was tangible proof that his father had changed, that he was willing to give up his power. Bae smiled and put it back in his pocket.

 _I wonder if Ariel was sent back here?_ He could use an ally, especially if he was going to convince the rest of the Lost Boys that rescue was on its way. He listened to the ocean, trying to get his bearings. It wasn’t an easy task in Neverland, especially at night.

 _Night._ It was night. You always knew when it was ‘night’ in Neverland, even if the sun never rose. It was when the veneer of Pan’s games peeled away and you could feel the true danger of the island. Daytime was like being in a fog. Bae’s mind was clear, and yet something still felt different. He was halfway to the nearest beach before he realized what it was.

_The cries. No one is crying._

He smiled again and picked up the pace. As he reached the beach, he saw something he had never thought he’d see in Neverland. _Sunrise._ It wasn’t quite there yet, but the sky had lightened, and the horizon was glowing. Bae stared, grinning. As the very edge of the yellow sun peeked over the endless ocean, he began to laugh.

XxXxXxX

Rumplestiltskin landed hard, nearly crashing into Belle. In the pre-dawn light, he saw that she was wearing the golden ball gown she’d come to his castle with, the one he’d lovingly resorted after Regina had told him that she was dead (it had gotten rather worn and dingy from her attempting to do chores in it). 

“Sorry!” he said, reaching out to steady her. His hands were once again covered with greenish-gold scales, his fingers tipped with wicked, black claws. She smiled at him anyway.

“I’m all right,” she said.

The crowd that had gathered at the town line were all standing around them, also in Enchanted Forest garb. The only one missing was Bae. They turned when they heard a familiar, chilling roar and the snap and crash of something enormous charging towards them through heavy brush.

_Ogres._

All Rumplestiltskin wanted was to find Bae (perhaps murder the idiots who had caused this, had they not already been dead), but Belle jumped and grabbed his arm, looking at him pleadingly. “Rumple, can you?”

Well, it was one way to work off his temper. “I can. Stay here.”

He pushed through the crowd and stalked towards the advancing ogres. “You’re in my way, dearies,” he hissed. He lifted his hands, and, one by one, he lit the ogres aflame.

The screams were deafening, and he began to laugh. “RUMPLE!” Regina shouted from just behind him. He looked at her quizzically. Her hands were already wreathed in flames, and she gave him a steely glare. “Leave some for me.”

He grinned and immediately stepped back. Regina could handle the rest, and he had places to be. “All yours, dearie!” He returned to Belle, sweeping her away to the Dark Castle just as the last ogre was engulfed in Regina’s fireball.

XxXxXxX

Regina was panting hard (no easy feat in the restrictive dress she was wearing) as the last ogre fell. She’d wanted to destroy something, and as satisfying as it was to reduce half a dozen ogres to ash, she was now only left with gaping emptiness in her heart, knowing that she would never see Henry again.

“Holy shit,” Booth said from behind her. She glanced back at the so-called ‘heroes’. The puppet was pale and wide-eyed in the light of the dying flames, and he continued, “That was… wow. Holy shit… um, thank you?”

The rest of them were a bit more restrained. If Regina didn’t know better, she might even say they were looking at her with respect. Snow even smiled. “Yes. Thank you, Regina.”

She glared. “Don’t mention it,” she said flatly.

“So what now?” the dwarf asked. Regina wondered that herself. _What the hell do I do now?_

“Now we start to rebuild,” Snow said, and Regina rolled her eyes.

“Um, maybe we should figure out where people are first?” Booth asked, looking around.

 _A practical suggestion from one of Snow’s Council? Maybe hell has frozen over after all._ It was the only explanation she had for why she simply didn’t leave them there and retreat to her own castle alone. _What the hell am I doing?_

“It’s almost dawn,” Charming said, looking up at the sky. “We’ll be able to start searching then. If I knew the date here, I could guess where we are from the stars.”

“It was August eighth back home,” the puppet said. “But it’s not summer here.” He was right; the air was chilled, and there was frost on the ground. He rubbed his arms to warm them.

“It was spring when the curse was cast,” Snow said.

“That’s right. It was the beginning of Twelfthmonth, and it was December sixth when we arrived on Earth. This could be mid Eigthmonth weather. Strange that the calendar should match up instead of the seasons. Maybe I’ll ask Gold about it when they get back from Neverland,” the puppet speculated, obviously taking great pains to not look at the still-burning ogre corpses.

“It doesn’t matter,” Regina said. “We’re never going back.” She gathered her feathered cloak around her and started walking; she didn’t even know where.

“Regina, wait!” Snow called, jogging after her.

“What?” Regina asked peevishly.

“Come with us.”

“What? You can’t be serious.”

“Regina, everyone out there is scared and confused. They need hope. What better way to do that than return united? Come with us. I know you don’t like it; you’ll learn to. For our good. For yours.”

“For the chance to barbecue more ogres,” Booth said, his tone dry but his expression hopeful.

Regina laughed despite herself. “Where are you even going? Your castle was destroyed by the curse.” The group exchanged looks.

“Was yours?” the dwarf asked. “Because, if I remember right, it was Snow’s first.”

Regina pursed her lips. _I should have kept my mouth shut._ “To be fair, I married into it. And yes, of course I protected it.”

Snow smiled. “Then we’re taking it back. You’ll see, Regina, this is the way to heal our kingdom.”

Regina arched an eyebrow. _So it’s ‘our’ kingdom now?_ But, in truth, Regina just didn’t care; Snow could have the damn castle. Regina was only interested in finding a way to put herself out of this misery. “Fine, then.” Snow smiled in the beatific way that made Regina want to vomit (a feeling that was not helped in the slightest by the fact that Booth appeared to have succumbed in the smell of charred ogre flesh and was now throwing up in the bushes). Regina looked at Charming, who was still examining the sky. “Any idea where we are?”

“Well, the ogres combined with the stars has me thinking that we’re in Phillip and Aurora’s kingdom, perhaps a day’s ride from your castle.”

“Excellent!” Snow said. “They can help us!”

How the hell Snow could sound so optimistic when she’d also just said goodbye to her child forever was something Regina would never understand. And she didn’t want to.

XxXxXxX

“Rumple!” Belle objected when they appeared in the great hall of the Dark Castle, “You didn’t let me tell them where we are going!”

“I’m certain that they know where we are going,” he said, not even looking at her. He was searching for something in the debris strewn about the room. It seemed that not even the Dark Castle had been spared damage from the curse.

“There could be more ogres back there!”

“Regina can handle them; she was in the mood to kill something. There!” He bent, retrieving a roughhewn staff that had leaned against the wall behind his wheel for as long as Belle had served him (and, she was certain, for many years before that).

“Rumple-”

He finally looked at her, his golden eyes pleading, “Belle, he’s in _Neverland_.”

 _What is it about Neverland that frightens him so?_ “But the Shadow is destroyed; you said yourself that Pan would lose his power when that happened.”

“But how quickly and how completely, I do not know. And Pan is not the only danger there. I’ll destroy as many ogres as you like, _after_ I rescue him.”

“We,” Belle said, taking a step towards him. “After _we_ rescue him.”

He opened his mouth as if you protest, when a familiar voice called to them, “Halt! Who - Dark One?” Robin Hood stepped out of the shadows, lowering the arrow he’d notched. 

“What the hell are you doing in my castle?” Rumple snapped. 

“Forgive me. We were sheltering here while you were… away. I will gather my men and leave.”

“See that you do. And don’t take with you anything you may have… picked up,” Rumple said nastily.

“Rumple,” Belle admonished, “You can be more polite than that.”

“To thieves squatting in my castle? Get out!” he said, waving his hand at Robin dismissively. “Shoo!”

Belle huffed, but Robin only bowed and smiled. Belle supposed that after the reception he’d received last time, a ‘shoo’ was hardly objectionable. Almost endearing, really. She smiled wryly and ran to the thief, “Robin, wait!”

“Yes, milady?”

“How is your child?”

Robin gave her a startled look, then smiled softly, and she knew that Rumple was listening closely as he rummaged through the hidden cabinet he had opened. “Roland is four now, and a fine lad. Marian would be very proud.”

Belle frowned. “Would be…”

“An outlaw’s life is a dangerous one,” he said sadly, “But she saw Roland born, and that was her greatest wish. Thank you, Belle, and I thank your master for sparing me. And for that, I think I should be thanking you as well.”

“You’re very welcome, but he’s not my master; not any longer. And as for sparing you… that wasn’t me.” She glanced back at her love, and saw him gazing into a crystal ball, his expression as soft as Robin’s when he spoke about Roland. “He’s a father too.”

“He is?” Robin asked in disbelief. “It’s not…” He gestured at her.

“Mine?” Belle asked with small laugh. “No. Baelfire is a wonderful boy, but he’s not mine.” Although, someday, she’d like him to be. But they had to get him back first. “He’s been sent to Neverland; we’re off to rescue him.”

“Neverland? That place is more dangerous than anywhere in the Enchanted Forest, Milady-”

“It’s just Belle, Robin,” she said, “And I will have the very best protection.”

Robin chuckled. “I suppose so.” 

“Where will you go now?”

“I am not sure; I think it will depend on the ogres. We can take one or two well enough, but we’re hardly an army.”

Belle smiled again. “You may not need one. Rumple has agreed to defeat them again after we return with Baelfire.”

“That is good news indeed; you see, I told you that I should thank you.”

Belle smiled slyly. “Perhaps you’d like to thank me by delivering a message to Queen Snow and Price Davi- er, James?”

“They have returned as well?” he asked hopefully.

“Oh, yes; I should have explained - the curse has been undone. Everyone has returned. Please, Robin, will you let them know that we will help them after we return from Neverland?”

Robin took her hand and kissed it. “As you wish, Milady. Do you know where I can find them?”

She looked over at Rumple. “Rumple!”

He looked up from his crystal ball. “What is he still doing here?” he asked petulantly.

“He’ll be going as soon as you can tell me where he can find the others; he’s agreed to deliver a message for me.”

Rumple wrinkled his nose in consternation, but answered, “They are a day’s ride or so southwest from Regina’s castle.”

“I know it,” Robin said. Belle shivered; she knew it too. “It’s one of the few structures still standing. In addition to, well…” he gestured to the walls around them, battered, but quite sound. “I will deliver your message, Belle. And thank you.”

“No thanks necessary; good luck to you, Robin.”

“And to you.” He bowed and left.

Rumple didn’t even acknowledge him; he merely stared into his crystal ball. Belle lifted her skirts so they wouldn’t catch on any of the flotsam scattered over the floor and returned to him. “Can you see him?” she asked.

Rumple nodded. “He’s in Neverland. But he seems all right. For now.” He held out the ball to her, showing her Baelfire’s image. He was smiling as he emerged from a tropical jungle onto a beach. He leaned against a tree, eagerly gazing at something in the distance. After a minute or two, he began to laugh.

“You see,” Belle said, “I told you that he would be all right.”

Rumple smiled and caressed the ball as if he could communicate with Bae that way. “Yes.”

“So how will we travel there? Is there a spell or…?”

“You’re quite certain about coming?” he asked.

“Of course!” She placed a hand on his arm. “I care about him too, you know. And you know I’ve always wanted adventure,” she added teasingly.

He smiled almost shyly. “If you’re sure.” He took a step back. “Well, you can’t very well manage in Neverland dressed like that.” He waved his hand with a flourish, and Belle’s golden gown was replaced with a fitted, knee-length tunic over a soft but sturdy shirt in sky blue, doeskin trousers, and boots. A sapphire traveling cloak, warm but not too heavy, covered her shoulders. Each garment was elaborately embroidered in such a way that bespoke its value and quality without undermining its practicality. Her first thought was that such decoration was foolish, certain to attract thieves and conmen eager to take advantage of a wealthy traveler, but then she realized that he was marking her, declaring to anyone who saw them that she was his and under his protection. 

He extended his hand to her, and a traveling pack appeared in it; it too, was embroidered, and likely full of only the best quality supplies. His eyes pleaded for some indication of approval, and she took the pack, standing on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you. What about you?”

He was wearing one of his exotic leather vests over a silk shirt, but no manner of coat or cloak at all. He smirked and waved another hand, only adding his reddish dragon-hide coat and Robin’s enchanted bow and quiver. Bae had been wearing it during the confrontation with Owen, but it had obviously returned to the Dark Castle when the curse was reversed. 

“Now, they’ll be an extra leg to this journey, sweetheart,” Rumple said. “I don’t actually possess a direct portal to Neverland. But I do have one to a land that has what we need.”

“And what land is that?”

His smiled faded, and he took her hand “Wonderland.”

XxXxXxX

Ariel wasn’t here. But with the new sun shining on his face, Bae did not despair. He turned back around and headed towards Tink’s place. He spotted a mango tree and decided that he could do with some breakfast - as long as it wasn’t coconuts, bananas, or fish (the three staples of Neverland, and three things he never wanted to taste again). He was halfway up the tree when he heard movement in the jungle below him. He froze.

“We’re almost there,” a Lost Boy said; Bae recognized the voice as Curly’s. 

It was the responding voice that nearly made him lose his grip on the tree. “Good. I’m still not used to all this running about.” _Wendy?_ It couldn’t be.

It was. She was even wearing her nightgown; the one he remembered from London, even if she’d taken the practical steps of tearing it off at the knee, tying a pirate’s sash around her waist (to tuck a knife into), and wearing trousers and boots underneath. She also had a crudely sewn bag slung over one shoulder. She looked up, and spotted him immediately. Her mouth dropped open. “Baelfire?”

“Woah,” Curly said.

“Wendy…” Bae murmured, “How are you here?” 

She gave him a watery smile. “I came to rescue you.”

“You…?” He scuttled down off the tree, landing with a thud. “You… you’ve been here all this time?”

She nodded. “Pan caught me. He’s been using me to blackmail my brothers. Oh, Bae…” She ran to and embraced him. Bae just stood there, stunned. She pulled back, still smiling, and brushed at his hair. “Bae. Bae, are you all right? Curly said that you were taken by a curse. And you’re dressed so strangely...”

“I… I was. Regina’s curse. She had to reverse it, and I got sent back… do you know where Pan is now? Has he lost his power?”

She grinned. “Yes, and yes. How did you know?”

“Because we destroyed his Shadow.”

“You did?” she laughed. “We wondered… You must tell me everything that has happened. We’re trying to find a way off the island, to get back to our families. The ones that are still living anyway.” She tugged at his hand.

“What about the mangoes?” Curly asked.

Bae looked back at the tree. “I’ll… I’ll get them.”

“All right.” Wendy handed him her bag. “We’ll have good news and treats; that’s the best way to return to camp.”

Bae nodded, taking the bag, and shimmying back up the tree. “Where is Pan?” he asked, “Are you sure he’s lost his power?”

Wendy nodded. “Very sure; he turned back into a man. We’re keeping him in one of the cages.”

“A man… Papa said he was a man, once.”

Wendy frowned. “Your father? Your father knew Pan?”

“He did. He does; he’ll be coming for us soon. All of us, he promised me.”

“I thought you father was dead.”

 _Oh, right._ Bae grimaced. “I thought he was, in a way. I thought he’d been… consumed by the magic. I was wrong. He was searching for me this whole time.” Bae didn’t want to explain just what, exactly, his father had done in order to find him. Over the past few months, it had become easier to not think about the fact that Storybrooke was a cursed town. Bae had trouble forgiving himself for that, even though Archie had said that he needed to. He wondered what he would find when they returned to the Enchanted Forest. Devastation? Would the buildings still be intact? What about the ogres?

“That’s… that’s amazing, Bae! And he’s coming for us? How? Magic?”

“Ah… that’s the thing. My father… is the Dark One.” 

Curly gasped. “The Dark One? Bae…”

“What is that? Is it a title?” Wendy asked.

“Yes. And a curse. But he’s learned to control it now. And when he’s rescued everyone, he will be able to break it.” Although that would be even more dangerous in the Enchanted Forest than in Storybrooke. And would it change anything? Magic would still be a part of their lives. Was there truly no way to return to Earth? That was where Bae had been happiest, and would be the safest place for his father - and for everyone else.

And it was Wendy’s home. Or had been, a hundred years ago. Bae gathered the mangoes as he tried to think of how to phrase this. By the time he climbed down, all he had was, “Wendy… there’s something you should know.”

“Yes?” she asked hopefully.

“It’s… been a very long time on Earth since Pan took us.”

“I know,” she said. “Over a hundred years. Pan used magic to keep John and Michael alive, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Bae sighed in relief. “Yes, it was.” Now, if only they had a way back. Regina had said no beans, but there had to be other ways. And if there were, his father would find them. “Is everyone back at camp?” he asked. “How about Tinker Bell?”

“She went looking for pixie dust. She thought if she found enough of it, one of us might be able to fly out of here and get help. I had some, but it wasn’t enough.”

Bae smiled. “Help is coming, Wendy, I promise.” 

XxXxXxX

“Oh!” Wonderland was beautiful. And silly. “The daffodils are singing!” Belle exclaimed.

“Yes, they do that,” Rumple said, unimpressed. He pulled out his crystal ball and looked into it. “Good! Jefferson is home.”

“Jefferson… of course he would be sent back here. We’re taking him with us, aren’t we? Grace must be worried.”

“It’s up to him. If he cashes in his favor for use of my mirror, I can’t stop him, but I’m hoping he’ll take my deal instead.”

“What deal?”

He smiled mysteriously. “You’ll see.”

Jefferson’s house was unsettling. It appeared whimsical at first glance, but the endless cavern of hats spoke of desperation and obsession. And Jefferson himself was frantic. “Dark One!” he shouted when he spotted Rumple, “She did… what did she do? The Queen, the Queen… Evil Queen, Queen of Hearts? She burned my hat! She stole it! Where’s my Grace? You have to make it work!” he picked up a random hat and shoved it at Rumple. “Make it work!”

“Jefferson,” Rumple said calmly, “I have a way back-”

“Yes! Yes, you do! You owe me a favor! Make it work!”

“Jefferson, do you remember me?” Belle asked. Grace had brought her father into the library a couple of times since it had opened, and they had a couple of interesting, if scatterbrained, conversations. Her heart broke for the man now; Regina and Cora obviously done more damage than she had realized. 

“The librarian,” he said, blinking at her. “You were there… ding, dong, the Queen of Hearts is dead.”

“Yes,” Rumple said, “Which is why I think you can help me-”

“Me help you? No, no - you owe me a favor, and the Dark One never breaks a deal!”

“That’s true. And you can cash it in and take my portal, and search for Grace yourself in the mass of refugees, or you can accept my offer, and I will lead you right to her, with enough gold that you will never have to scrounge in the forest for mushrooms again.” 

He blinked. “What do you want? Cora burned my hat; I can’t make any of them work!”

“I’m aware, and the rules of the hat wouldn’t suit my purpose anyway. What I need is for you to introduce me to the White Rabbit; I need a portal to Neverland.”

“Neverland! Madness! He’ll never do it.”

“The Shadow has been destroyed; Pan has lost his power. It’s less dangerous than this place, now. And I pay well, Jefferson; you know that.”

“And if I say no?”

“Then you’re free to exchange your favor for the use of my portal, and I’ll find the Rabbit myself.”

“He won’t do business with you.”

Rumple smiled wickedly. “I will convince him regardless, but I do think your endorsement will facilitate things quite a bit. I’m in a hurry, you see.”

Jefferson frowned, then looked around, as if just realizing, “Where is Baelfire? In Neverland?”

Rumple’s expression softened. “He is. So you understand the urgency, yes?”

“Yes. Urgency. How long, if I take your deal?”

“For as long as it takes to gather the Lost Boys. Not long, I should think, less than a day. You won’t be able to find Grace yourself in that short of a time.”

“Grace,” Jefferson said tearfully, staring at the hat in his hands. 

Rumple frowned. He pulled out his orb again. “Here, see for yourself. She is unharmed.” An image of Grace appeared, dry-eyed, but looking around for someone. 

Jefferson reached out to the ball, but stopped short of touching it. “Grace.” He looked up at Rumple. “Less than a day?” 

“Depending on the cooperation of the Rabbit and the Lost Boys, yes.”

Jefferson drew his hand back and smiled madly. “Then they will cooperate.”

XxXxXxX

“Hail!” Snow, David, and their friends hadn’t made it far out of the clearing before they were hailed by a small contingent on horseback. At their head was a knight, followed by a warrior in exotic armor, and several others who appeared to be armed with whatever they could salvage. Snow waved, eager to show their good intentions.

“Hail!”

The lead horse stopped before her, and the knight pulled off his helmet. He had dark hair and a handsome face. “I am Prince Phillip; how is it that you have come to my kingdom?”

“Phillip!” Snow greeted excitedly. “I’m Snow White; it’s wonderful to meet you at last!”

“Snow White?” he asked cautiously. She ginned and nodded. “What was the last communication you had with Aurora?” he asked, his tone serious. It was a test, but a simple one. 

“When she spoke to Henry and warned us about Cora,” she replied easily, “And thank you; we could not have defeated her without her help.”

“Really?” Regina scoffed, “How, exactly, did her little warning help? You lot didn’t do anything; it was Rumple’s kid. And ‘defeated’ is such a nice euphemism; the word is ‘dead’.”

Snow sighed, “Regina…”

Phillip, who had dismounted, immediately drew his sword. “Regina? The Evil Queen?”

Snow immediately stepped between them. “ _Former_ Evil Queen.”

Leroy snorted. “Since when?” he muttered. Regina glared at him.

“Grumpy,” Snow scolded, “You will show Regina respect. She saved us all from Owen’s curse.”

“Including herself,” he pointed out. 

Regina grit her teeth, but August spoke first. “Can we just… not piss off the woman who can incinerate ogres?” he asked nervously. Of all of them, he was clearly the most out of his element. Snow supposed it made sense; unlike the rest of them, he’d be a child the last time he’d been in the Enchanted Forest.

Phillip gave Regina a surprised look. “You destroyed the ogres?”

“Yeah,” August said, “Well, it was a joint effort: her and the Dark One. But the ogres are dead. Very, very dead. And thank you, again, for that.”

Regina waved him off. “Whatever.”

“Then we owe you a debt,” Phillip said. “We have some horses, supplies…”

“How clear is the road between here and my castle?” she asked.

“Passable, provided you’re not averse to disposing of any ogres that attack you as you did with these.”

She shrugged. “All right, then.”

“We’re going to need supplies,” Snow said, “Everyone who was taken by the curse will be returning, and winter seems to have just begun.”

“Yes, it has. Come speak with Aurora,” Phillip said, “She has been overseeing the rebuilding, while Mulan and I tackled the ogres.”

“Mulan,” Snow said, glancing towards the exotically armored warrior behind Phillip. Both Aurora and Belle had spoken of her.

“Oh, yes, I have been remiss,” Phillip said. “Allow me to introduce Fa Mulan, my second in command.” Mulan, who had also dismounted, removed her helmet and gave them a stern but respectful nod.

Just then, they heard movement in the trees. Phillip, Mulan, and their warriors drew their weapons, and Regina readied a fireball, but whatever it was, it was far too small to be an ogre. 

“Hey, guys!”

It was Grumpy’s brothers. “Grumpy!”

“Nova!”

“Queen Sn-Sn-achoo! Snow!”

“It’s wonderful to see you all,” she said. “Have you seen anyone else?” Bashful shook his head. “Well, come along, Prince Phillip is taking us to speak with Princess Aurora about supplies for the journey to Regina’s castle.”

“Regina’s castle?” Doc asked. “Why not yours?”

“It’s rubble,” Regina said flatly.

“Sadly, that is true,” Phillip said. “The E- Queen’s castle is one of the few structures still intact.” 

“Well…” Doc gave Regina a nervous look but said, “We trust you, Snow.”

“Excellent,” Phillip said. “Our camp is not far from here, even on foot.”

The walk back to the camp was indeed not long, but they gathered refugees as they went, which slowed them some. They’d amassed quite a sizable crowd by the time they reached the sharpened tree trunks that Phillip’s men had placed around what remained of his family’s castle. Most of the building itself was unsound, but Phillip explained that they had erected tents in the courtyard, using the castle’s stone walls for what protection they could offer (and sent in a few brave souls inside to retrieve weapons and any other useful things that had not been taken by the curse).

Aurora had come to greet them, flanked by several members of their camp, when August suddenly shouted, “Nova! Run!” Snow followed his gaze, and saw the distinctive light of the Blue Fairy, surrounded by several of her followers. 

Grumpy grabbed for Nova, and pulled her behind him. “Stay back,” he said, “She’s not getting your wings.” 

“Yes,” Snow agreed, “Stay here, let me speak to her.” The crowd looked on in confusion. “Blue!” Snow called, stepping forward. It was difficult to face someone who had betrayed her and her family so completely - more difficult, even, then facing Regina at her worst - but Snow would never give up hope that people could change for the better. Regina have been given a myriad of chances and, after many years, finally begun to turn herself around; Snow could not deny Blue the same opportunity. But that didn’t mean that she would forget how dangerous she was, either. “State your business,” she said firmly.

“My business is with Nova,” Blue said. “Before I return to rebuild the fairies’ home, I must take her wings.”

“Like hell you will!” Grumpy shouted, pushing Nova further behind him.

“May I ask what is going on?” Phillip said.

Blue ignored them both. “The negotiation for Nova to keep her wings only applied to Storybrooke,” Blue told Snow, “A fallen fairy cannot be allowed to keep her wings in the Enchanted Forest; it jeopardizes the balance of our magic.”

“Bullshit!” August called. “Nova, get out of here,” he said much more quietly.

Nova’s frightened expression became suddenly calm. “No, I… I won’t run,” she said. “She’ll just catch me anyway,” she added, smiling ruefully. She stepped around Grumpy, towards Blue.

“Nova, what are you doing?” Grumpy asked, grabbing for her.

“What I have to,” she said. “Let me do what I have to, Dreamy. Please.”

“Nova…”

She stepped toward him and touched her forehead to his. “I know what I’m doing. Trust me, please? She’s going to take them anyway; let everyone here see it, so they know what she’s willing to do.” He sighed. “Please?”

He sighed again. “I trust you,” he said finally.

She kissed him. “It will be all right; you’ll see.” She turned around, and he followed. 

When she glanced back at him, he said, “I said I trust you; didn’t say I’d let you do this alone.” She smiled, and continued on.

Snow tried one last plea, “Blue, you don’t have to do this. Nova is a good fairy!”

“So was Sunspark,” August muttered. “And Tinker Bell.” Regina sneered.

“I’m afraid that I do have to do this,” Blue said. 

“No, you don’t,” Nova said clearly, so the rest of the crowd could hear. “But you will. Because I love someone. Because I have friends, and you don’t allow that.”

“You knew the price when you left us,” Blue said.

“I did. And it’s a fair price, to be free of a tyrant. To be with people who love me.”

Blue frowned, but said nothing. She waved her wand, and Nova fell to her knees, gasping. Her pink dress quickly faded to a dull brown, and while her wings had not been visible in her larger form, there was undoubtedly something missing now.

“Nova!” Grumpy dropped to his knees next to her and wrapped his arms around her.

“It is done,” Blue said.

“Yeah!” Grumpy shouted. “Well, so am I! You want someone to mine your diamonds? Find someone else!”

“Me too,” Bashful said, as loudly as he was able, tossing his axe on the ground. With only slight hesitation, the rest of their brothers followed suit. Snow looked at the crowd. They looked confused; many looked appalled.

Snow was appalled. “Reul Ghorm!” she said. Blue turned towards her, and while it was difficult to see her face, Snow imagined that her expression was reproachful.

“Yes, my child?”

“I am no longer your child,” she announced. “I hereby renounce your association with my family, and officially offer sanctuary in my kingdom to any fairy or dwarf who leaves your order.”

“Snow, you cannot mean-”

“I do. By royal proclamation, you are no longer welcome in my kingdom.”

Nova had made it to her feet, and was brushing away a stray tear. Her wand was still in her hand, the amber just as bright as before. Snow walked over, and put her hand on her shoulder, never breaking eye contact with Blue. Her message was clear. 

“Very well,” Blue said. “Although this saddens me, I will respect your wishes.”

“Well, that would be a first,” August said, crossing his arms.

Blue sent him a sharp glare before lifting off into the sky, her other fairies following behind her. One, a yellow fairy with a riot of dark curls, seemed to hesitate, watching Nova for a moment before slowly trailing after the rest. 

“What will we do without the fairies?” someone in the crowd called out.

“What do you mean?” August asked. “We’ve got a fairy.”

“That’s right,” Snow said. “A great fairy. The only fairy that faced Cora with us, and Owen, who was attempting to destroy us all with a second Dark Curse.” The crowd started whispering. “I declare that Nova is a Hero of the Realm, and a member of my Council and Royal Guard. If you accept,” she asked, looking at her friend.

“I do,” she said, her mouth smiling, and her eyes wet.

Grumpy cheered, followed by their friends, and then the crowd. Nova turned to Grumpy and kissed him fiercely.


	2. Herding Cats

The Rabbit slammed the door in their faces. “Be gone, Dark One!” he shouted through it. Rumplestiltskin raised an eyebrow. 

“Does that ever work?” Jefferson asked, darkly amused.

Rumplestiltskin grinned. “No.” He made a gesture to force the door open.

“Wait,” Belle said. “Let me try.” 

She looked especially lovely to him just then, open but determined. Adventures suited her. _Perhaps it was not Jefferson I needed after all._ He took a polite step back. “By all means, my dear.”

She smiled at him and knocked on the door. “Mr. Rabbit? Will you please hear us out? We need you help.”

“If you’re bound to the Dark One, you’re beyond my help!” he cried.

Belle laughed endearingly. “Not with that. Please, there are a number of young boys that need rescuing, and we need one of your portals to save them.”

“Come out, come out!” Jefferson added. “He won’t take me to Grace until you do.” Of course, that raised the question of what was keeping the Rabbit from taking Jefferson to Grace himself. Certainly, Cora had prevented him before, but what was stopping him now? Cora’s departure must have left a power vacuum… _ah._

“May I ask the name of your new sovereign? Perhaps I should be having a word with them,” he said loudly, allowing some of his old, impish cadence into his voice.

“No!”

“Rumple,” Belle scolded, “You said you would let me try. And don’t threaten him; he’s obviously frightened.”

“He is a rabbit,” Jefferson offered, less than helpfully.

“Then I don’t suppose 24 carat gold appeals?” Jefferson snorted, and Belle smiled despite herself.

They heard a female voice from inside. “For goodness sake, Percy, let them in before they bring the guards down on us! The Red Queen is bound to notice the Dark One hanging around!” Ah, Anastasia, the Red Queen - that answered one question.

The door swung open, and they were greeted my Mrs. Rabbit, her coat darker than her husband’s, and posture straighter. Two young bunnies also peeked out at them from behind the kitchen table. “Hello!” Belle said, waving to them cheerfully. They ducked out of sight.

“Come in, quickly!” Mrs. Rabbit insisted.

Belle hurried in, followed by Jefferson and then Rumplestiltskin. He used magic to close the door behind him just to remind them who they were dealing with. “Please,” Belle repeated, “We do need your help.”

“To rescue some young boys?” Mrs. Rabbit asked, “That doesn’t sound like the Dark One to me.”

“His son is among them,” Belle said, and Rumplestiltskin tensed. For all anyone who had been taken by the curse now knew about Bae and who he was to him, his instincts (or perhaps it was his curse - they were indistinguishable at this point) balked at sharing that information with anyone. 

But Belle was wise; both rabbits relaxed when she said it, exchanging only confused glances. “Your son?” the Rabbit asked. “The Dark One has a son?”

“I do,” he said. “And I would very much like to get back to him. I will, of course, pay you handsomely for your time.”

“How much?” Mrs. Rabbit asked immediately. From the state of their home, they were surviving, but money was tight. As a Queen, Cora had been ruthless but competent; Rumplestiltskin was not certain that Anastasia could say the same.

“As many spools of gold as you can carry.” It was his standard offer for something of this nature. Gold meant nothing to him, and he did not provide a pack; there were only so many spools of golden thread a person could carry in their arms.

“No,” Mrs. Rabbit said, and Rumplestiltskin raised an eyebrow. “Gold attracts too much attention, especially your gold. Two thousand silver coins.” Jefferson whistled and Rumplestiltskin chuckled. “ _If_ the destination is safe,” she added.

“And if it’s not?”

“Then we can’t help you. Percy has children too.”

Jefferson sighed noisily. “He’s the Dark One; you won’t run into a bigger monster than him. He could take the Jabberwocky.” The Rabbit shuddered.

“Hm. One thousand,” Rumplestiltskin countered.

“Eighteen hundred.”

“Eleven hundred.”

“Sixteen hundred. That’s our final offer; if you had other options, you wouldn’t have come all the way to Wonderland.” 

Rumplestiltskin grinned. He liked this one; it wasn’t that often someone dared haggle with the Dark One. “Deal.”

“What is the destination?” the Rabbit asked, the lay of his ears betraying his nervousness.

“Neverland,” Rumplestiltskin said bluntly.

“Absolutely not!” Mrs. Rabbit said. 

“Pan has been defeated,” he said. “His Shadow destroyed. But the children cannot remain there; the island was never meant to be inhabited.” The Rabbit was a magical being, and an educated one at that. Even the Dark One was compelled to follow the laws of magic; they surely held sway over the portal-maker as well. He should feel a natural pull to set the island to rights.

The Rabbit frowned. “How can I trust that?” 

“We have a crystal ball,” Belle suggested. “You can see for yourself.”

Rumplestiltskin nodded and produced it. He’d already searched for Pan himself; he knew what they would see. He was not looking forward to confronting his father in person, but there was no choice as long as Bae was there. “Here,” he offered the orb to Mrs. Rabbit; she seemed, by far, the more sensible of the two. “But don’t drop it; it’s worth far more than sixteen hundred silver pieces.”

“He paid me eight spools of gold thread for it,” Jefferson offered. “But that did include a delivery fee.”

Mrs. Rabbit took the orb, and Rumplestiltskin watched through the corner of his eye as Malcolm was once again revealed, staring forlornly out of the bars of a hanging cage. Even after so many years, and so many betrayals, something in him ached to see his father like that. Of course, there was also that voice cackling with glee to see him laid so low, and neither part was as strong as his desire simply to simply run, and put as much distance between the two of them as he possibly could. 

“Which one is yours?” Mrs. Rabbit asked suddenly. She’d expanded the view of the orb to watch the Lost Boys milling about. Rumplestiltskin leaned over, looking for Bae.

“The one in the blue trousers, who looks like he’s bathed recently.” The other children certainly hadn’t. Except for, oddly enough, a young girl who was walking with Bae. 

“Could that be Wendy?” Belle asked, spotting the same girl.

Jefferson cocked his head to the side. “A little Wendy bird? Far too young for that man in the cage.”

The Rabbits shuddered and Rumplestiltskin felt sick. “He’s not that kind of monster, dearie,” he felt compelled to say. “The island will not allow it.” Now that Jefferson had put the idea in his head, he was terribly grateful that that was true.

“You’re certain?”

“Quite.”

“Well, there’s that. We’re not taking him, are we?”

“We have to,” Belle said. “It disrupts the island to have him there, doesn’t it?”

Jaw clenched, Rumplestiltskin nodded. “It does.”

“I can’t bring him here; it would attract the Queen’s attention,” the Rabbit said.

“Then dig a hole from Neverland to the Enchanted Forest,” Jefferson said, “Cut out the middle mirror.”

The Rabbit looked at his wife. “You need to help these children, Percy,” she said.

“And deliver them to the Dark One?”

Mrs. Rabbit turned to Rumplestiltskin, handing him the orb back with one paw and poking at him with the other. “The deal is that he helps rescue the children, yes? It’s conditional on you not harming them, or it’s not a rescue.”

Rumplestiltskin inclined his head. “Of course.”

“I want it in writing, part of the contract. You do whatever you’re going to do to Pan, but those kids are off limits.”

Rumplestiltskin smiled, conjuring a contract. “Of course.” Mrs. Rabbit took it, reading it thoroughly.

“Tick tock,” Jefferson said impatiently. Mrs. Rabbit shushed him. 

When she was done reading, she shoved it at her husband. “Read it.” Then she turned to them. “Can I offer you tea while he does that?”

Rumplestiltskin shook his head, still smiling; it was so nice to do business with such a civilized negotiator. “We’re in a bit of a hurry.”

“Yes, yes! I’m late, I’m late,” Jefferson said, fidgeting in place; if the space had been larger, Rumplestiltskin was certain that he would be pacing.

The Rabbit laid down the contract. “You’re sure?”

“I’m sure,” Mrs. Rabbit said. “And we do need the money.”

The Rabbit sighed. “Very well.” He sighed the contract.

“Excellent!” Rumplestiltskin crowed, taking the document. “I trust you are ready to depart immediately? A job well begun and all that.” It was a warning, not a question.

“Yes,” the Rabbit said miserably. He turned to his wife. “I’ll be back soon, my love.”

“I know you will,” she said taking his paws in hers. She kissed him on the cheek. “Dinner is a six.”

“We should be back well before then,” Rumplestiltskin said; it was still early morning, and Bae seemed to have already gathered the Lost Boys together.

“Let’s go!” Belle said, and the Rabbit nodded and led them out of the back of the burrow towards the woods. 

“I don’t want the portal too near my home; it could attract the Queen’s attention.”

“Oh, I’ll take care of that, dearie; I’ve no interest in having little Anastasia meddle in my affairs.”

“You know her?” Belle asked.

“He knows everyone,” Jefferson said. “Names. Always names. Too many names.”

“Here we are,” the Rabbit said, still looking nervous. Rumplestiltskin was nervous. He’d never wanted to set foot on Neverland again, nor face his father. Even Pan was easier; he didn’t have the face and voice of the man that he had loved, that had been able to twist him in a dozen different directions with a few pointed words. _Kill him. He hurt you. He hurt your son. He can hurt you again._

Even without the Shadow’s magic, Rumplestiltskin knew that was so. But his fear was nothing in the face of leaving Bae behind again. “Then dig,” he said. “Just outside the camp, if you can manage it.”

“I can.” The Rabbit dug.

XxXxXxX

“What’s that?” Wendy asked, as the ground began to shake.

Bae and half the camp looked at the man in the cage. He looked more panicked than any of them, but Bae didn’t trust it. He’d said his name was Malcolm, and that he didn’t remember anything about being Pan, but Bae knew a liar when he heard one. Bae felt Malcolm watching him when his back was turned, and he wondered if the man knew who was coming. “It might be my father,” Bae said.

It was. Preceded by a rabbit in a dapper vest, Belle, and Jefferson. _Jefferson?_

“Bae!” Belle called, smiling and waving.

Bae grinned and ran to them. He nearly bowled his father over with the force of his hug. Despite his best efforts, there had still been a small part of him that had doubted he’d ever get off this island again. “Oh, Bae, it’s all right. You’re all right,” Papa said, running a hand through his hair.

“Yeah,” he said, pulling back. “What are you wearing?” Bae had never seen a coat like that before; his father had taken to wearing fine robes after he had become the Dark One. At some point, he must have moved on to something more outlandish.

“Ah… dragon hide,” he said, almost sounding embarrassed. Bae stared, incredulous.

“Dragon hide?” Nibs asked, fascinated. “Did you kill it?”

“Well, it would’ve hurt rather a lot if he’d skinned it without killing it, wouldn’t it?” Jefferson asked, stalking over to Malcolm. Some of the boys laughed, others watched the adults warily. 

“You didn’t just kill it for the coat, did you, Papa?” Bae asked, only because he was certain it wasn’t so. His father wasn’t so wasteful as that.

“No, I… killed it for the magical objects in its hoard.” Now that, Bae could believe. “Speaking of, this is for you.” He removed the bow and quiver he’d had slung over one shoulder, offering to Bae. Bae recognized the golden arrows.

“You think I need this?”

“I wasn’t sure what state the island would be in. And better safe than sorry, yes?”

Bae nodded. “Sure.” He took them. Once they were properly secured, he asked, “You look…” _human._ “Are you still…” he leaned close and asked, “Your curse?”

“Yes,” Papa said. “I don’t know why I appear this way in Neverland; in the Enchanted Forest I’m still…” he looked away.

“The crocodile?” Bae asked, with a small smile. Papa nodded.

“ _You’re_ the crocodile?” Tootles asked. “You took Hook’s hand?”

“Yes,” Papa replied, immediately changing the subject. “Is this everyone? I don’t see Tinker Bell here…”

“She’s gone to look for pixie dust with the twins; they’re the only ones not here.”

“They should be back soon,” Wendy said, extending her hand. “It’s nice to meet you Mr…”

Papa stared at her hand a moment before taking it. “My name is Rumplestiltskin, and I beli-”

“Rumple!” Malcolm suddenly shouted, trying climb to his feet. “Is that you? Truly?”

“He is,” Jefferson said. “Who are you?”

“I’m his father.”

The camp was suddenly quiet, and Papa went very still. _No, no, it can’t be… But he said he knew him before he was Pan... He said he went willingly…_ “Papa?” Bae asked.

Papa swallowed hard. “Rumple?” Belle asked, touching his arm.

“Yes,” he said quietly, but then raised his voice. “But if you were counting on that fact to save you, I think you will be very disappointed,” he told Malcolm, loud enough for the entire camp to hear. Off to the side, Felix watched everything, saying nothing. According to Wendy, he’d said nothing since Pan had become Malcolm. 

Malcolm extended a hand through the bars. “Rumple, please, you can’t just leave me here-”

“True,” Papa said coldly, “But only because you pollute this island with your presence.”

“Rumple, I swear, the Shadow tricked me; I didn’t know what would happen!”

“What did happen?” Bae asked, accusingly. “You said you didn’t remember anything.” _His father? My grandfather? Why didn’t he tell me?_

“I… I don’t! But all of you here; that wasn’t me! That was the Shadow!”

“Liar, liar, pants on fire,” Jefferson taunted, poking at the cage. “Maybe we should test that theory.” He looked back at Papa, almost hopeful.

“No time,” Papa said. “I’d like to be away from here as soon as possible. I know where the pixie dust gathers on this island,” Papa told Bae. “I’ll collect Tinker Bell and the boys…”

“I’m going with you,” Bae said immediately.

“Bae-”

“They won’t trust you; they’ll listen to me.”

He sighed. “Very well. The rest of you,” he announced to the camp, “If you have anything you’d like to bring with you, I suggest you gather it now; we’re leaving within the hour.”

“Are you… are you taking us home?” Tootles asked.

“We’re taking you to the Enchanted Forest. If your home is elsewhere…”

“We’ll find a way,” Belle said. Bae bit his lip. Tootles was one of the newest Boys, but he was still taken from Earth well before Regina’s curse was cast. Even if his parents were still alive, they would never believe that their son could still be thirteen. _We’ll deal with that once we’re out of here._

Papa pulled a crystal ball out of his coat. An image of Tinker Bell appeared, climbing down a tree, a scowl on her face. “It seems that she did not have much luck with the pixie dust,” Papa said. 

“Doesn’t matter,” Bae said, “You’re getting us all out of here.”

Papa smiled at him. “Yes, I am. Hold tight.”

They appeared at the base of the tree, sending the twins scattering. “Wait!” Bae called, “It’s Baelfire! And my father. He’s here to take us all off this island!”

“Liar!” one of the twins called from behind a tree, “Baelfire doesn’t have a father; same as the rest of us!”

“And he was eaten by a smoke monster,” the other added, just as well concealed.

Tinker Bell stayed silent, obviously counting in them not knowing she was there. “It wasn’t a smoke monster,” Bae said, then looked straight up at Tink. “You were right, Tink; it was a curse. Regina’s curse, specifically.”

“Regina?” she asked coldly, readjusting her grip on the tree to cover her surprise. She did not climb down. “You said your father was dead.” 

“You told her I was dead?” Papa asked, hurt.

Bae sighed. “I thought you were, remember? …Metaphorically. And you weren’t exactly forthcoming about your father, now were you?” Papa inhaled sharply, and Bae sighed. “I’m sorry, that was-”

“Perfectly fair,” he said quietly. 

“No, Papa-”

“Yes. I should have told you; I am sorry.”

Bae closed his eyes. He wanted off this island; he could think more clearly then. “Enough of that. Let’s just get out of here.”

“And how do you plan on doing that?” Tinker Bell asked. “How did you even get here?”

“I’ve made an arrangement with the White Rabbit of Wonderland,” Papa answered her. “He’s waiting back at the camp; Bae tells me that you are the only three left to gather.”

“And if we refuse to come with you?”

“I’m the Dark One, dearie, I can make you come with us.”

“Papa!” Bae scolded. He had the good grace to incline his head apologetically.

“You’re the Dark One?” Tink asked, “You’re Rumplestiltskin? I… didn’t recognize you.”

“I am. You’ll see once we arrive in the Enchanted Forest.”

“Bae?” she said, looking for confirmation.

“Yes, he is. That’s why…”

“You though he was ‘metaphorically’ dead?”

“Er, yeah. He’s… learned to control it much better now. He destroyed the Shadow.”

“You’re certain? It’s not wise to trust the Dark One.”

“I’m am. I was there; I saw it.”

And that won her over. “I see.” She climbed down. “What’s your price for getting us off this island?” she demanded.

“No price,” Papa answered, his hands clasped in front of him. “I’m doing this because Bae asked me to. But if you’re looking to make a deal, I have a wand or two that might interest you.”

“A wand?” she immediately covered her surprise with suspicion, “What good is a wand to me?” 

“As much as you want to be. If Reul Ghorm led you to believe that you must have your wings in order to work magic, she lied to you.”

“Of course she did,” Bae muttered. More loudly, he said, “You should talk to Nova when we get back.”

“Nova? What happened to Nova? She was just a trainee…”

“She fell in love with a dwarf. Reul Ghorm was able to temporarily separate them, but after the curse was broken, and her duplicity revealed, Nova officially renounced her calling. She is a fallen fairy now,” Papa explained.

“Wait,” Bae said, “Her wings… the deal Mary Margaret made with Reul Ghorm on only applies to Storybrooke…”

“Yes. Reul Ghorm will take her wings, if she has not already. But Nova has Sunspark’s wand, and is on the company of her dwarf and the heroes. She’ll be fine, Bae.”

“Fine? I can see no one’s ever taken your wings before, Dark One,” Tink snapped. “Nova… she’ll never be able to live without her wings. She was… she’s…”

“Loved. Which makes her more fortunate than most,” Papa said. “But you can see for yourself, if you accompany us.”

Tink sighed. “Fine. You say you can get us out of here? Prove it.”

That only left the twins. “Guys?” Bae asked. “Please. He’ll get us out of here; I promise.”

“And take us to his dungeon, no doubt!”

“To boil us alive and eat us up!”

“I don’t eat free range children,” Papa said. “To stringy.” Bae hit him on the shoulder.

“Papa!”

One twin peeked out from behind his tree. “You hit him,” he said in awe. “You hit the Dark One.”

“No, he didn’t!” the other objected, looking out from his own perch.

Bae grinned and hit him again. “Baelfire, please stop that,” Papa asked dryly.

“See, he did,” the first twin said.

“Then he must not be the Dark One,” the second answered.

“No?” Papa asked, his tone amused. Suddenly, all five of them appeared back at the camp.

“Woah!”

“He is the Dark One!”

“And the crocodile!” Tootles said, tossing things into his pack. “He took Hook’s hand! Get your stuff; he’s taking us home!”

“Yes,” Belle said, “We’re here to rescue you.”

“Woah.”

“A big Wendy bird.”

“Not so big.”

“Are you Baelfire’s mother?”

“He said his mother was dead, but…”

“Maybe he meant it metaphorically?”

Belle blinked. Something in Bae’s gut flipped. Belle was not his mother… but he wanted her to be. Belle looked startled by their question, but then smiled. “Oh. Well, strictly speaking, I am not Baelfire’s mother. But I am in love with his father, so, someday, I might become his stepmother. Come along, gather your things.” She and his father traded a glance. She smiled, and he smiled back. When she looked away, he turned back to Bae.

“Bae? Was there anything here you wanted to bring?”

Bae thought briefly of the sword Hook had given him, but shook his head, his eyes landing on Malcolm. “No. There’s nothing here I want to see again.”

“I see.”

“What are you going to do about him?” Bae asked, jerking his head towards Malcolm. “He says that he doesn’t remember anything, but I don’t believe him.”

Papa looked at the leaf-strewn ground. “I can’t leave him here; I was not lying about his presence polluting the island. And… you’re probably right. He’s… never been the honest sort.”

“I see. Will you tell me about it when we get back?” It was a demand as much as a question.

He nodded. “You deserve that much. Bae, I’m sorry.”

“I know.” _Why do you hide things? Why couldn’t you tell me the truth?_

_Obviously, the same reason I told everyone that you were dead. He abandoned you. And he did not come back._ Malcolm was staring at them, but yelped when Jefferson grabbed the cage from behind, sending it swinging. Papa watched, expressionless. “Our deal still stands,” Bae said. “You can’t kill him.”

Papa closed his eyes. “I know.”

“So what will you do?”

“I must know what he’s planning to do next. Even powerless, he is dangerous.”

Bae nodded; he agreed with that. But he did not think Belle would. “Are you taking us all to your castle?”

Papa nodded, smiling slightly. “I re-set the spells before we left; it should be fully stocked and repaired when we get back.”

That sounded like more magic than Bae was comfortable with, but they need to provide for Wendy and the Lost Boys somehow. “Will you be able to get Wendy home? Her brothers are still alive and waiting for her.”

“I don’t know, Bae, but I’ll try.”

Bae couldn’t ask for more than that.

XxXxXxX

“Woah,” Slightly said, as they climbed out of the Rabbit’s portal into the courtyard of the Dark Castle. Belle smiled, leading him off to the side so that the rest of the children would have room to follow. The tall boy (Felix, Bae had said), looked around in silence, his hand on his sword. The rest of the children were as awed as Slightly was.

“Wow!”

“It’s beautiful!” Wendy said. “I was expecting something more, well…”

“Dark, dearie?” Rumple teased. He was the last one through, his grip firm on Malcolm’s hands, which had been bound behind him. 

She couldn’t imagine what Rumple was feeling now, facing his father after everything he’d done. She was angry that he had never shared with them exactly who Malcolm was, but she could not forget how much pain the man had put him through. She only hoped that Rumple would keep is temper, and not do something to Malcolm that he would come to regret. She would help him with that.

“Woah,” Tootles said, “You really are the crocodile!”

Belle caught the flash of hurt that Rumple immediately buried under a rictus grin of blackened teeth. “Indeed I am, dearie.”

“Keen.”

Rumple blinked, then shook his head. He’d been expecting the children to be frightened of his appearance, not fascinated by it. Belle smiled. “Why don’t you all follow me to the kitchen,” she told them, “Rumple has some business to take care of.”

“Yes,” Jefferson said. “We had a deal.”

“Indeed we did.” Rumple waved his hand, and Malcolm disappeared. The children jumped.

“Where did he go?” Curly asked, looking around nervously.

“To the dungeon, of course,” Rumple said, already pulling the crystal ball from his coat. 

“And… he can’t get out?”

“Of course he can’t get out. What kind of dungeons do you think I have?”

“Rumple,” Belle scolded, but Curly only sighed in relief.

“Can I see them?” Wendy asked. “I’ve never seen a dungeon before.”

Rumple gave her an odd look, then returned to his gazing. Jefferson crowded around, also looking for a glimpse of his daughter. “Ah, there she is,” Rumple said. He conjured a large pack for Jefferson, presumably filled with the promised gold. Jefferson didn’t even look inside before putting it on. 

“Send me there,” he said. “A deal’s a deal.”

“It is.” Rumple lifted his hand.

“Farewell, Jefferson!” Belle called as the hatter vanished. Rumple glanced at the ball in his other hand and smiled before putting it away.

“And what about our deal?” The Rabbit asked.

“I have not forgotten. Sixteen hundred silver pieces. Your wife is a fierce negotiator.”

“Yes,” the Rabbit said, torn between nervousness and pride. Rumple conjured a small satchel.

“It doesn’t look like much, but it contains your full payment. But be warned; once a coin has been taken out of it, it cannot be put back in again.”

“Thank you,” the Rabbit said, taking the satchel. He pulled out a single, silver coin and bit it. At Rumple’s raised eyebrow, he lowered his ears against his skull and said, “Ah… force of habit?” Rumple only chuckled. 

“I trust you can find your own way home?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Thank you!” Belle called. She’d have invited him in for tea if he were not so obviously eager to get back home to his family.

“Yes,” Bae agreed, “Thank you.”

“Goodbye!” the rabbit said nervously, before diving back into the hole. It closed up behind him.

“Well!” Belle declared, “Everyone follow me!”

“Wait!” Rumple said, striding forward, “A few rules, if you please.”

“Rules?” one twin asked (they had refused to share their actual names - Belle wondered if they even remembered them).

“We don’t like rules,” the other said.

“Would you like to find yourself cursed? Or worse?”

“Rumple!”

“That wasn’t a threat, my dear. You know the kind of magic I have collected here.” Belle frowned. He had a point. She’s given him more than one scare in her time at the Dark Castle, and she was a single, grown woman. A crowd of rambunctious teenagers running riot though the castle could be disastrous. She nodded, telling him to go on.

“You’re free to move out the grounds, but stay clear of the pond; there are nasty things living in it. The kitchens and the servant’s quarters are likewise safe, so you will be staying there.”

“Rumple, the servant’s quarters?”

“They’re close to the kitchens and far from my laboratory,” he said peevishly. Bae nodded, agreeing with his reasoning.

“Close to the kitchen?” Slightly asked, “Sounds good to me.”

“Are they close to the dungeon?” Curly asked nervously.

“Not really,” Rumple said.

“Then that sounds good to me too.”

“Very good. Now - this is most important; do not touch _anything_ in any other part of the castle.”

“Except the library,” Belle said. She would not compromise on that; she was not going to bar these children from her library.

“There’s magic in the library.”

“Then remove it.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Tootles said, “I don’t know how to read.”

“I do!” Wendy said, “I can teach you.”

“So can I,” Belle said.

“We don’t like school,” one twin said.

“School is boring.”

Rumple rolled his eyes impatiently and started walking towards the entrance to the kitchens, Baelfire following with a wry look on his face. But Belle would not let that complaint stand. “You’ve never had me as your teacher,” she insisted. “But come on; none of you are dressed for this weather.” The morning’s frost had melted, but it was still far colder here than in Neverland.

“Do you think it might snow?” Wendy asked hopefully. “I haven’t seen snow in ages.”

Belle smiled at her. “Maybe, come along.” Slowly, meanderingly, and with much prodding from Belle, they all eventually did. Mary Margaret had once told her that that getting a group of children to all move in the same direction could be like herding cats; Belle was starting to understand what she’d meant. She laughed.


	3. Stumbling Blocks

Mulan listened as Queen Snow and Prince David (it seemed that he preferred his cursed name) explained to Phillip and Aurora all that had occurred since their last communication. Mulan was pleased to know that Cora had been slain, but less pleased that the pirate was apparently roaming about freely - after having caused the situation that forced Regina to reverse the curse.

“Well, if he is spotted in our kingdom, he will be detained immediately, I assure you,” Phillip declared. Aurora nodded.

Plans were made, supplies mustered. While the Queen’s castle could be reached in less than a day on horseback, it would take four or five days to walk there accompanied by large crowds of refugees. And that was not even considering the ogres. Phillip and Mulan had led their warriors to many victories over them this past month, but groups of refugees suddenly appearing all over the Enchanted Forest could upset the delicate battle strategies they had developed. Mulan advised the newcomers on what she believed to be the safest route to their destination, but there was simply no telling how the ogres might respond to the influx of humans.

“You will be most vulnerable when you camp for the night,” Mulan told them.

“We know,” Queen Snow said. “Do you have any suggestions on where we should camp?”

“There is a ruined farm here.” Mulan pointed it out on the map. “It is a large, open area; at the very least, you will see the ogres coming. I would recommend this as your first camp.”

“I might be able to place a protective barrier around the fields,” Nova said. “But it would use up all of the fairy dust I’ve got left. I… I already used most of it to heal Hook.”

“I think it would be best of we saved it for emergencies, Nova,” Queen Snow said. “I’m sure we have enough people to set up watches over night. And we will have Regina,” she added with a smile. The former Evil Queen did not smile back.

“We’ll give you what aid we can, but we cannot spare any of our solders. The bulk of the ogres are located west of here; we cannot pull men away from those patrols and send them to the northeast,” Phillip said.

“We understand,” Prince David said, “And thank you. We really do appreciate all you are doing. If we leave tomorrow at dawn, we’ll reach the farm well before nightfall. Where else do you recommend, Mulan?”

Mulan indicated several possibilities using the map, Philip adding suggestions as well. Despite herself, Mulan was impressed with Queen Snow and Prince David. Their arrival seemed a good portent. That is, until they began to adjourn the meeting.

“Before you go,” Aurora said, taking Phillip’s hand, “I would like to make an announcement. It seems fitting to me that on a day when so many have been returned to us, that we also have news of a new life to share.” 

“You’re pregnant?” Queen Snow asked. Aurora nodded. “How wonderful! This is a time of renewal and rebuilding for all of us; there could be no better way to begin that than with new life!”

All around her, there were smiles and joy. But Mulan felt that the ground under her feet had crumbled, and she was falling into an abyss. He feelings for Aurora had only grown with time, and Mulan had been waiting for just the right time to tell her. Oh, she knew that Aurora would never be with her; Aurora’s heart was Phillip’s and Phillip’s alone. But Mulan had been hoping for some sort of acknowledgement. Perhaps even… she didn’t know. But whatever it was she had been hoping for, it would never be. With a baby on the way, all of Aurora’s dreams were coming true. With her True Love, Phillip.

_I can’t stay here._

“I volunteer to accompany you to the Queen’s castle,” she said suddenly. “To ensure that your people are afforded safe passage.”

“Mulan…” Phillip said in confusion.

“I am only one person,” she said, “I will not be missed.”

“That’s not true,” he said, “You will always be missed. Are you certain about this?” One thing she had always admired about Phillip, he had always treated her as an equal. If she said that she needed to do something, he had never tried to stop her or talk her out of it.

“Our solders have you to lead them. Our visitors have not seen what has become of their kingdom; it is where I can do the most good.”

“I understand,” he said. “And I thank you.”

“Yes,” Queen Snow said, “We thank you as well. And as soon as our people are accounted for, we pledge our support in your war against the ogres.”

“Excellent! Any soldiers you can spare would be a great boon to us.”

She’d bought herself some time. Not enough to mend her heart (she did not think that any amount of time would be enough for that), but enough to figure out how to tell these people that she had grown to love that she would be leaving them as soon as the ogres were vanquished. She only hoped that, with the influx of new soldiers, it would not be a long campaign.

XxXxXxX

It took Rumple no time at all to determine that the best way to keep the children under control was to bribe them with food (sweets, specifically). Belle wasn’t sure that she approved, but it was hard to argue with the smiles on their faces. 

Only Felix and Tinker Bell remained on the edge of the crowd, arms folded defensively. Even Bae was drawn into it; Wendy had insisted. Ten minutes in, and he was smiling and laughing with the rest of them. Despite their recent adventures, Belle was reminded that he was still a child, and he needed the company of other children. She looked at Rumple. From the sadness in his eyes, she knew that he was thinking the same thing.

She glanced at Felix. He had been Pan’s second, according to Bae, and was clearly the oldest. In fact, most villages in the Enchanted Forest would have considered him grown. Bae had told her not to trust him, but Belle believed in second chances, especially for someone so young. She would do her best to make him feel as welcome in the castle as the rest of them; it was his best chance to be a better man than Pan had allowed him to be.

“Would you like anything?” she asked him. He shook his head. “You’re certain?” He gave her a baleful glare and nodded. She imagined that he was trying to look intimidating; instead, it only made him look young and petulant. But the worst thing you could say to a headstrong teenager (which she herself had most certainly been) was that they did not know what they wanted or what was good for them. She only smiled and said, “Please let me know if you need anything; you are a guest in our home.” He looked away.

Smiling, she turned to Tinker Bell. “Would you like anything?”

She shook her head also. “No, thank you. I have business with the Dark One; then I’ll be leaving.”

“What business?”

“He said he had a wand for me.”

“Oh, yes, he has several.”

Tinker Bell glanced at the ground. “Any idea what his price might be? There’s not much I can offer in exchange.”

“I don’t know. But he will be fair; he was with Nova. And we all would like to have more fairies that are not beholden to Reul Ghorm.”

“Why?” Tinker Bell asked. “I know why the Dark One would want to undermine Blue, but why would you?”

“Oh, I guess you wouldn’t know. In Storybrooke, we discovered that she lied and manipulated things so that the curse would come about. She hurt a great many people, including Rumple and Bae and our friends.”

“What? That doesn’t make any sense. Bae said that Regina cast the curse.”

“She did, but she was a pawn in a larger game. Reul Ghorm convinced Rumple that the curse was the only way to find Baelfire, so that he would dedicate himself to bringing it about. She also manipulated Marco into sending his son to Earth alone, and August into sending Emma to jail so that she would give up Henry for adoption. Then she manipulated Regina into bringing magic to Storybrooke. We still don’t know what her larger plan is.” 

And Belle did wonder. If the curse was so important, why did Reul Ghorm allow Regina to reverse it? And she must have; she had told Rumple that they would be returning to the Enchanted Forest soon. With Storybrooke now undone, what could Reul Ghorm have possibly wanted?

“That’s… that can’t be true,” Tinker Bell said. “She’s the Blue Fairy; she’s good.”

“So are you, and yet she took your wings. You should speak to Nova. Wait, Nova…” In all the confusion, Belle had forgotten about Nova. “Her wings! Rumple!”

“It’s too late,” he said. “She’s already taken them.”

“What? No! There must be something we can do!”

“Look for yourself.” He pulled out the crystal ball once more and showed her an image of Nova. The fanciful dress she was wearing was no longer the bright pink Belle remembered from Henry’s Book. Instead, it was a dull brown, and seemed almost wilted - _just like Tinker Bell’s._

“Reul Ghorm has already taken her wings,” Rumple said, “But she seems rather contended just the same.” She did. She was holding Leroy’s hand and smiling. Then they turned to the cart behind them, handing out apples and what looked like some kind of dried meat to a group of refugees. Despite all, Belle could see that Nova was exactly where she wanted to be: with her love, helping people.

Tinker Bell looked at Rumple. “You said you had a wand for me, Dark One.”

“I do. What do you have to trade?”

“What do you want?”

“The vial of pixie dust you’re carrying.”

“Why?” Tinker Bell asked suspiciously.

“It can lead people to their True Loves; you have no idea how many people call on me for that.”

“Wendy gave it to me…”

“It’s all right, Tink,” the girl said; she and Bae had been paying attention to their conversation. “Perhaps this is what you were meant to do with it.”

Tinker Bell pulled out the vial and looked at it, considering. “One more condition, dearie,” Rumple said. “You will ensure that this wand does not find its way back to Reul Ghorm; I will be most displeased if it does.”

Tinker Bell looked at him. “Let me look at the wands first.”

“Ah,” Rumple said, clapping his hands together, “Always smart to look before you buy. Come this way!”

“Where are you going?” Bae asked, jumping out of his seat.

“To look at wands, Bae. We’ll be right back,” Rumple said.

“Tinker Bell said she was leaving,” Wendy said, standing up next to Bae, “You’re not really leaving, are you, Tink?”

“Well, I…”

“Please,” Belle said, “At least spend the night. Outside the castle walls, things have changed; you’ll want to get your bearings before you attempt to travel anywhere.”

“Changed how?” Tinker Bell asked.

“The ogres are back, for one,” Belle explained, “Although Rumple has agreed to help with that. And according to Aurora’s reports, most of the buildings were destroyed; there’s a great deal of rebuilding to be done.”

“Ogres?” Curly asked, frightened.

“They can’t get in the castle,” Belle assured him. “You’re safe here.”

“And what’s the price for a night’s shelter in the Dark Castle?” Tinker Bell asked.

“Nothing,” Belle assured her, “You’re our guests.” Tinker Bell looked at Rumple, who nodded.

“Although it is traditional for a guest to regale her hosts with a story. There’s one about Cora I might be interested in.”

“Rumple…”

“No,” Tinker Bell said, “It’s fine. Deal. Now show me these wands.”

“Certainly. This way, if you please.”

The children watched them go. “Why don’t I show you all the library?” Belle offered. She wanted them to feel welcome, and there was nothing she found more welcoming than a library.

“Will we have to go near the dungeons?” Curly asked.

“No; the library is far away from the dungeons.”

“The library sounds boring,” one twin said.

“We’ll stay here.”

“Near the food.”

“And the beds.” The boy yawned.

“We’re tired.” His brother yawned too.

Despite the insult to her library, Belle couldn’t help but smile. “Very well. Why don’t I show you to your rooms; then I will give anyone who wants to join me a tour of the library.”

Belle still wasn’t comfortable with the idea of their guests staying on the servants’ quarters, but it seemed that Rumple and Bae had been right. The children were happy in the small, stone rooms, near the kitchens, the exit, and each other. Each room contained two simple-framed beds with straw mattresses and woolen blankets that Rumple must have asked the castle to place there (for as long as Belle had known, the beds here had been stripped of all linens). There was a narrow but tall glass-paned window in each room that provided a view of the courtyard, and a sturdy wooden chest at the foot of each bed for their belongings. 

The children happily paired up, the twins claiming the very first room and immediately flopping down on their new beds for a nap. Felix took the room on the other end for himself, closing the door behind him without a word. Bae gave him a hard stare, but smiled when Wendy loudly claimed a “girls’” room for herself and Tinker Bell.

Belle wondered how else they could make the rooms more welcoming. _Rumple must have some things around here, like curtains… and clothes. They will all need clothes._ And that didn’t even touch their issue of their parents and their home worlds. And Malcolm. _There’s so much to be done._

But she didn’t mind it. It may not have been the adventure she was expecting to have, but it was an adventure nonetheless. She jumped when she heard a crash from the kitchen, and Ace called out, “I didn’t do it!”

_She sighed. Maybe Rumple will need help with the ogres…_

XxXxXxX

“Jiminy!” August yelled in relief. “Is my father with you?” August was a terrible son. He’d been so wrapped up in saying goodbye to Emma that he hadn’t gone to find his father before the curse was reversed. From the random way people had been brought back, his father could have been dropped anywhere in the Enchanted Forest, _which is full of fucking ogres._

Jiminy had to fly closer before August could hear him (he couldn’t project very well as a cricket), and August stretched out his hands to give him some place to land. “Yes,” Jiminy said, “He’s right behind me. We arrived with a group of about fifty others, about three miles west.”

August looked around in a panic. “You didn’t see any ogres did you?” There wasn’t enough booze in the world to make him forget the smell of burning ogre flesh, or the shrieks they made as Regina and Rumplestiltskin had lit them up like candles. _What the hell am I doing? I don’t belong in this world anymore._

“No. I scouted ahead; Geppetto is safe, I promise.”

August sighed deeply. “Thank you,” he said. 

Jiminy patted his thumb with a tiny, green hand, “You’re welcome.” 

“You know,” he said, with a teasing smile, “You’re a lot smaller than I remember.”

“Well, you’re a lot bigger than I remember,” Jiminy replied.

It was stupid, but August laughed. “I guess so.”

XxXxXxX

“That one,” Tinker Bell said, pointing to one of the three wands Rumplestiltskin had laid out before her. It was made of polished mahogany with amethysts set in silver on the handle. It wasn’t her color, but there was something about it; it felt right.

“Interesting,” he said.

“What is?” she asked defensively. She didn’t trust him, but that didn’t really mean much. She didn’t trust anyone.

“This was Maleficent’s wand, once upon a time.”

“Maleficent’s wand? How did you get it?”

“She traded it to me, shortly after her fall. It’s imbued with light magic; she found it too… limiting.”

Tinker Bell crossed her arms. “What about the other two? Where did you get them?” She wasn’t sure the wanted Maleficent’s wand, even if it spoke to her - especially if it spoke to her.

“I killed their previous owners,” he said blandly, looking her directly in the eyes.

She swallowed, then uncrossed her arms, putting the vial of pixie dust on the table and reaching out her hand. “That one, then.”

He smiled, and handed it to her. “A fine choice. Now, let me show you the library; I need a word with Belle before I depart.”

“Depart?”

“She asked me to take care of the ogres after our return; I never break a deal, dearie.”

“Oh, right. You’re… not who I thought you were,” she said. “But then, I suppose I was wrong about Regina too. And _Blue._ ” It should have been obvious, in hindsight. Tinker Bell had always thought there was something wrong with her, that she found Blue’s rules too restrictive. Turns out, the problem hadn’t been _her_ all along.

“Oh, I don’t know that you were wrong about me and Regina, dearie, but I’ll give you Reul Ghorm.” he said. “Follow me. And remember, that ‘don’t touch’ rule applies to you too. Especially you.”

“Of course,” she said, keeping step with him. She had no interest in his collection anyway. The one item she would have wanted, she now had; _but what am I going to do with it?_ Her purpose for so many years had simply been to escape Neverland. Now that she had, she wasn’t sure what to do with herself. She was not eager to run afoul of another Cora. 

_Speaking of…_ “Why do you want to know about Cora? Was she involved in the curse?”

“Indirectly. She supplied the motivation, and had as much of a hand as I did in shaping Regina. I want to know because I’d like to make sure she didn’t leave any surprises behind.”

“Behind? Is she gone? I know you came from Wonderland…”

“She’s dead,” he said matter-of-factly. 

“You killed her?”

He looked away. “Bae did. To save Grace. And the rest of us.”

Tinker Bell just nodded. She’d seen children driven to kill; it was one of Pan’s favorite games. Baelfire had avoided it in Neverland it as far as she knew, but she also knew that everyone had a breaking point, and that Cora was incredibly dangerous. Tink was sad for Bae, but not sad that the Queen of Hearts was dead. “That’s good to know, thank you.”

“You promised me a tale, dearie; care to tell it now?”

Tinker Bell shrugged. “Not much to tell. Cora found me somehow, wanted to know about Regina and the pixie dust. I trust you know that story, Dark One?”

“I was watching. Go on.”

“I thought so. Anyway, after I told her everything, she banished me to Neverland. I think she had some plan in store for Regina. I guess it didn’t work.”

“And why would you tell her everything? She wasn’t exactly the trustworthy sort.”

“She offered me a wand.”

“Ah, yes. Cora wasn’t known for keeping her promises, either,” he said darkly. There was something deeper there, but it was none of Tink’s business. She wanted nothing further to do with Regina or Cora. 

They walked the rest of the way in silence, entering the library before any of the others. Rumplestiltskin immediately waved his hand about, and certain items started vanishing from the room. He was removing the magical objects, as Belle had asked him to. Tinker Bell wondered who Belle was, that she could command the Dark One so easily.

Tink looked up when she heard footsteps, but it was only Baelfire, alone. “Bae,” Rumplestiltskin said, smiling softly. “I’m almost done here.”

Bae watched as the last few tomes and odds and ends vanished, his hands behind his back. He’d removed the quiver he’d been wearing earlier, and he looked out of place in his strange clothes. “No hurry,” he said, “Belle is showing them their rooms; some of them wanted to sleep. Wendy picked a room for the two of you, Tink.”

Tinker Bell smiled. “Thanks, Bae.”

Rumplestiltskin put a hand on his son’s shoulder. “They’ll be safe here, Bae, as long as they follow the rules. I promise.”

“I believe you.” But his expression was overcast.

“What’s wrong?” Rumplestiltskin asked.

“Nothing.”

“Bae… please,” Rumplestiltskin said, “I can’t fix it if I don’t know what’s wrong.”

The expression on his face was pleading and a little bit scared. This was private; Tinker Bell should not be here. “I’ll just… go back to the kitchen. You said our rooms are near there?” she asked.

Rumplestiltskin looked at her and nodded. “You’ll probably run into Belle on the way,” Bae said.

Tinker Bell nodded and took a step back. “All right, thanks. And thank you. For the wand,” she told Rumplestiltskin.

The Dark One just nodded at her and turned back to his son. She really had been wrong about him. _I wonder what else Blue lied about?_

XxXxXxX

Rumplestiltskin waited until the fairy was about of earshot before asking, “Bae? What is it? Is it Pan? I promise you, he can’t get out.”

Bae shook his head. “No. It’s just… this place. The magic. The ogres. Everything… Your curse.”

“Bae, I swear-”

“I know, I know. And I trust you. But I don’t trust _it._ And how long… there’s no town line to cross anymore. There’s magic everywhere, and you have so many enemies. We’re never going to be free of it. Never.” His eyes were tearing up, and Rumplestiltskin pulled him closer.

“Bae, I’m so sorry. I didn’t want things to turn out this way. But we can still break it, if that’s what you want me to do.”

“No, we can’t. You’re going to need magic to get the Lost Boys home, if any of them still have homes to go back to. And Wendy…”

“I’ll try to get her home, Bae; I promised you that I would.”

“But Regina said… can you? Is it even possible? She’s only stuck here because of me, Papa.”

“What do you mean? Bae, none of this is your fault…”

“She’s the one who took me in, in London,” he said. “I was… all alone, and she took me in. Her parents, and John, and Michael… there were the only ones who never…”

“Abandoned you,” Rumplestiltskin finished. 

“Yeah.” Bae may have forgiven him for that, but Rumplestiltskin would never, never forgive himself. “When the Shadow took me, Wendy tried to follow, to rescue me. But it caught her, and Pan has been using her to make her brothers do his bidding. We need to get her back to them.”

“Then we will,” Rumplestiltskin said immediately. If Wendy had done everything Bae said she had, Rumplestiltskin owed her a great deal. And Bae was the one asking; there really wasn’t any question about it.

“How? Regina said that none of us can return.”

“Regina is not a knowledgeable as I am. And Wendy belongs in that world; there must be a way to return her to it.”

“You think so?”

“Bae, after Reul Ghorm’s little deception, I will never again believe that traveling between realms is as limited as that. If Regina was told it can’t be done, I think there must be a reason. It could well be that only she cannot return, or…” a thought suddenly occurred to him. “The Sorcerer.”

“The Sorcerer?”

“The Sorcerer must be able to return. Do you remember what Mr. Booth said about the Authors?”

“Yes,” Bae said, beginning to understand, “The Sorcerer and the Apprentice travel to Earth to select the Authors.”

“I imagine that this is a task they must be able to complete; whatever price the curse demanded from Regina, it cannot interfere in that. The Sorcerer must still be able to travel between realms.”

“And you think he would return Wendy there?”

“She belongs there, so, yes, I think he would.”

“And what about us?”

“Us?”

“You, me, Belle. Would he send us back, if we asked?”

Well, Rumplestiltskin supposed there was a certain symmetry to it. It wasn’t the plan they had agreed to a few days ago, but the one from centuries ago. The deal he had broken, that had started all this. But this time, Rumplestiltskin would be prepared. He’d pack as much gold as he was able, and with his recent knowledge of that world and how to live there, he knew they could be happy. He and Bae… and Belle. _Belle._ “We’ll have to ask Belle if she would agree. And then… I don’t know what the Sorcerer will want in exchange, but whatever it is, Bae, I will find a way.”

“You will?” he asked hopefully.

“Yes. You’re right. As long as we’re here, there will always be a reason for me not to give up my magic. But there… no one will know us, and no one else will have magic either. This is what you want, Bae?”

He nodded, smiling sadly. “Yes.”

“Then we’ll find a way.” _Don’t do it. You remember the last time you agreed to this?_

_I know what’s on the other side of the portal now. I’m not afraid anymore._

_Liar._

Rumplestiltskin pulled Bae into a hug, ignoring the poisonous voice in his head. “I’ll find a way, son,” he said again. “Nothing is as important to me as you.”

“Thank you, Papa. I love you.”

“I love you too, Bae. I love you so much.” 

XxXxXxX

Nova was hopeful. The loss of her wings ached down to her soul, but now there was nothing for Blue to threaten her with, and she was finally, truly free. She had her love and her friends. There were people all around that needed her help, and she could help them - better than she could have as Blue’s follower. This was her dream.

Although, in her dreams, her spells usually went a bit better. “It’s pink,” she sighed, staring at the fire she’d conjured. The sun was setting, and the night was promising to be a cold one. Phillips’s stronghold did not have enough shelters to accommodate so many newcomers, so the people would need strong fires to keep them warm as they slept outdoors. Not to mention that it would take several days to journey to Regina’s castle, when fire would be needed not only for heat but to repel the ogres. Regina would be in charge of perimeters, so Nova had volunteered to manage the fires. Perhaps she shouldn’t have been so eager.

“I don’t care,” August said, crouching down and extending his hands towards the bright pink and orange flames, “It’s warm.”

“You’re a real cold wimp, aren’t you?” Ruby (Red - Nova was going to have to remember that) asked him.

“I’m acclimated to tropical climates,” he said. “And it’s easy for you to talk; you’ve got a cloak.” August was dressed similarly to his father, in only trousers, a vest, and a shirt (although his were grey, black, and blue respectively), and they were not the only ones without coats or cloaks; that was why the fire was so important. And, Nova had to admit, her own bare legs were getting a bit chilly as well.

“Do you want it?” Red asked, smirking.

“I don’t need it,” he said with a grin, “I have Nova’s pink, disco fire. Now all we need is a late seventies soundtrack, and we’ll really be in a Tarantino fairy tale.”

Ruby smirked, “What about the revenge plots and excessive gore?”

“I think Regina and Gold have us covered there. You missed the ogre barbecue earlier; be thankful.” 

Red wrinkled her nose. “Oh, I am. Ogres smell bad enough when they’re not on fire.”

“You really think it’s OK?” Nova asked.

“It’s fine, Nova,” Red said, “August is right; as long as it’s warm, no one will care what color it is.”

“Look, Papa, a pink fire!” They heard a young girl exclaim from behind them. Nova turned; she recognized the girl as Grace, and her father was with her. 

“Yes,” Jefferson said. “A fairy fire?”

“Yeah,” August said, “Did you get sent back here? I thought you were in Wonderland when the curse was cast.”

He grimaced. “I was. The Dark One is on the move. From the Forest to Wonderland to Neverland and back again.”

“Already?” Nova asked hopefully. 

“Yes. Rumple Bumple has always been efficient.” 

August grinned and Red guffawed. “Rumple Bumple?”

“I wouldn’t call him that, unless you are Mad,” the Hatter said. 

“Sound advice,” August agreed. “So Bae’s all right?”

“Right as rain.” Jefferson looked up, as if he expected it to start raining.

“And what about Pan?”

“He grew up.”

“Grew up… so he lost his power?”

“The Dark One seemed to think so - sent him to the dungeons.” August sighed in relief.

“Did he say anything about dealing with the ogres?” Red asked.

“Not that I heard, but he’d do it for a song, if his boy or his Belle are the ones singing.”

“This is good news; I’ll go tell Snow,” Red said, standing up.

Jefferson crouched down by his daughter, who had joined Nova by the fire and was warming her hands delightedly. “Twinkle, twinkle,” he said, grinning, and Grace giggled. Nova supposed it didn’t matter that it was pink after all.

XxXxXxX

The hardest part of dealing with the ogres this time around, Rumplestiltskin discovered, was finding them. With no cohesive army to stand in their way, they had broken off into small groups and spread out all over the continent. Prince Phillip’s land, it seemed, was nearly clear of them, but still there were some pockets scattered about, and the further from his stronghold, the more there were.

“What will you do?” Bae asked, looking at the enchanted map Rumplestiltskin had spread out on his worktable. They were meeting in his tower to prevent any of their guests from overhearing.

“They don’t appear to have a single commander,” he said. “I suppose I’ll have to attack individuals groups, leaving single survivors to spread the word that I’ve returned.”

“And what happens when word gets out that you’ve left?” Belle asked pointedly. She had reservations about their plan to leave the Enchanted Forest. She seemed convinced that they could find a way to live here without the curse of the Dark One, and did not want to be forever separated from her father and the friends she had made in Storybrooke. 

“I would hope the kingdoms would have built up their armies by then. And there’s always Regina. I don’t imagine the ogres much care whether it’s my fire or hers that’s burning them.”

“Or she can say it was you,” Bae said, “Like at the end of Watchmen.”

Bae and Rumplestiltskin had ended up appreciating that book more than Belle had. She’d admired the capacity for forgiveness that some of the characters had shown, but had not much cared for the moral ambiguity, or the dark view of humanity that it presented. She was an optimist, his Belle, which was frequently wonderful and occasionally problematic.

“We don’t know that that led to a lasting peace,” she countered. “If the truth came out…”

“Are you asking me to stay, to battle the ogres indefinitely?” Rumplestiltskin asked.

“No,” Bae said firmly, “This needs to end. You can’t keep doing this. _I_ can’t keep doing this.”

“You said that you were in the first Ogre War, right Rumple?” Belle asked.

“Aye,” he replied carefully. 

“But there have been many Dark Ones before you. Where were the ogres then? What if we could find out why they started attacking the Enchanted Forest to begin with? Perhaps we can get them to stop.”

“They began attacking because their population had grown too large for their ancestral holdings,” he said. “The first war lasted long enough to cull their population so that the truce could be negotiated, but every time it booms again, they encroach. Do you want me to sterilize them?” He was aware that his tone was bordering on rude, but he was losing patience with this endless string of complications. All he wanted was to retreat somewhere safe with his son and Belle, and just… rest for the first time in centuries. Was that too much to ask? 

“Of course not,” she said. “Maybe there is a place you could send them, uninhabited, with plenty of room for them to grow? You said there are many worlds out there.”

“Oh, I see. You want me to flood an untouched world with a violent, invasive species,” he said flatly. “Surely that could never have any negative consequences.”

“Rumple!” she snapped.

“He’s right, Belle,” Bae said, “You don’t know what they would do in a new world. Just let him do what he needs to do.”

“Attacking them won’t lead to long term peace. If they’re intelligent enough to negotiate-”

“They respond to threats,” Rumplestiltskin said. “After a proven show of force. That is all. And I don’t know that anyone but the Dark One can even communicate with them; what they have barely qualifies as language.”

“Teach it to me.”

“No.”

“Rumple-”

“No! You’re asking me to move worlds, Belle, to placate a horde of man-eating beasts that would be no trouble as all if they could stop breeding like vermin. No!” He’d promised to destroy the ogres, not to build them a refuge. And he never broke a deal.

“Rumple,” she said one more time, and she sounded just a bit too much like Milah right then, asking the impossible, and getting angry that he could not do it. _She doesn’t love you. You’re worthless. You’re nothing without your power._

He vanished, appearing in the midst of a squad of ogres that had taken over the mountain pass between his lands and what used to be King George’s. There was a female with them, holding her baby in her arms. He let them both live, but only them. He gave the mother his message, and moved on to another group.


	4. Revelations

“Rumple!” Belle shouted in frustration.

Bae sighed. “He’s gone. Come on; let’s get those things for the Last Boys.” 

Before their meeting, Rumple had shown Bae his bedroom. It was the room she had found all those years ago, overflowing with trinkets, books, and clothing fit for a prince. All things that Belle now realized had been selected just for Bae, stored right along with his old things from their life before. When Bae had asked his father why he had kept this room if he had expected to find him only in the land without magic, Rumple had merely shrugged, given him a sad smile, and said, “Hope springs eternal.”

That had been the side of Rumple that was the sweetest, most loving soul she had ever known, wounded by years upon years of rejection and loss, but carrying on just the same just for a chance to see his son again. But another side of him belonged to the darkness; that was the part that enjoyed power, and saw nothing of slaughtering an entire race simply because they were a nuisance. _Why wouldn’t he even hear me out?_ He’d reminded her of Gaston just then, and her father and his council. He’d dismissed her, and she was not about to tolerate it.

“I’m going to speak to Tinker Bell,” she told Bae.

“Why? You’re not going to try to go after him, are you?”

“Yes, I am. I know there is a better way.”

“If you knew that, you shouldn’t have asked him to destroy the ogres for you. He’s the Dark One; this is what he does,” he said bitterly.

“He doesn’t have to; he can be better!”

“No, this is what magic does to him! That’s why we need to leave!”

“He can fight it! I know it!”

“How do you know that?” Bae snarled. “Were you there? Did you see what magic turned him into? I was, and I did! This is nothing. This is him being good, trying to help people. If you let it go on too long, he’ll start… it makes him crazy!”

“He was doing just fine in Storybrooke-”

“That was Storybrooke! Magic is different there! He was different there! There weren’t ogres everywhere! He didn’t… he didn’t have his father locked up in the freaking dungeon!”

And, of course, that was another problem. “I can’t just let him hurt innocents-”

“Innocents? You heard him! If there are any innocent ogres, they’re the ones that stayed in their own lands! They attacked you as soon as you arrived! What do you think they’re doing to the other refugees right now? Whatever. I’m going to help the Lost Boys.”

“Baelfire, come back here!”

“You’re not my mother!” he shouted back, walking away.

Belle let out a frustrated scream. She was sick to death of being dismissed and spoken down to. She pushed past Baelfire, on a beeline towards the library. Surely Tinker Bell would help her.

XxXxXxX

“You want me to what?” Tinker Bell asked. 

“I want you to send me where Rumplestiltskin is. I know we can find a better way to stop the ogres.”

“I can’t send you anywhere; that’s not a spell I know. Fairies get around by flying, and, if you’ll recall, Blue took my wings. What is he doing with the ogres?”

“Killing them, and leaving just one survivor from each group to spread the word.”

“And that’s… bad?”

“They’re living beings!”

“Why does he even care about the ogres? Doesn’t sound like the Dark One to me.”

“I asked for his help; but I didn’t mean this!” Belle was distraught, but there wasn’t anything Tink could do about it.

“What did you mean, then?”

“I meant… damn it.” She sighed. “I guess… at the time, I did mean this. I know the ogres are dangerous, and this is exactly what he did for Avonlea. But I don’t think it will work, not in the long term. And he wants to leave, and then what? And he didn’t listen!”

“Leave? Leave where?”

“To Earth. He’s going to look for a way to get Wendy back to her brothers-”

“He will?” Wendy asked hopefully. Tink smiled when Belle jumped. Years as Pan’s prisoner have left Wendy with the habit of listening in to any conversation near her; Belle was going to have to get used to that.

But Belle mustered up a smile for her. “Yes. And Bae wants to return as well. Rumple agreed, but I don’t know if that’s best.”

“Why not?”

“Because there’s so much to be done here. This is our home.”

“Bae doesn’t like it here.”

“But he belongs here.”

“Why?”

“Because he was born here. If he’s unhappy with how things are, we should stay and fix them, not run away.”

“It’s the magic that he hates; isn’t magic everywhere here?”

“Yes, but magic isn’t itself bad, it just-”

“Comes with a price,” Tink said. “Dark magic or light magic, it doesn’t matter. Baelfire’s sick of paying; I don’t blame him.” Maybe Tink should ask to go with them; maybe the void where he wings used to be wouldn’t hurt so much in a land without magic.

“He’s just scared.”

“He has reason to be, don’t you think?”

“Of course he does, but I know that Rumple can be better this time. I can break his curse right here and find a way to bring real peace; lasting peace with the ogres.”

Tink frowned. “Doesn’t Rumplestiltskin lose his powers if you break his curse?”

“Yes, but I know we don’t need them. He’s brilliant; we can find another way.”

“Does he even want to?”

“No, but it’s the right thing to do!”

“The Dark One’s not really known for doing the right thing.”

“But he can; I’ve seen it. In Storybrooke, he was doing so well!”

“Maybe that’s why he wants to go back there,” Wendy said.

Belle stared at her, her mouth forming a delicate ‘o’. Then, she shook her head. “I just wish… I wanted him to listen to me.” She rubbed her forehead.

This was far more drama than Tink has signed on for, but, even after so long, it was hard to turn off the fairy godmother impulse. “Does he do that a lot? Dismiss you like that?”

“No. He’s usually wonderful; he’s the first man who ever thought I could do anything more than look pretty and run a household. But when he gets scared…” She shook her head, and her lips were curving into the beginning of a smile.

“What’s he scared of?” Wendy asked, “If I had his power, I wouldn’t be scared of anything.”

From what Tink knew of the curse of the Dark One, she wasn’t sure that was true, but she didn’t argue the point. “You know what I would love? Some tea. This would make a lot more sense over tea,” she said. She’d missed tea in Neverland. A lot.

“Yes,” Belle, said smiling. “Have a seat; I’ll bring some right up.”

“Can I have tea too?” Tootles asked. He’s was sitting on the floor with a large bestiary in his lap. He couldn’t read a word of it, but he’d been fascinated by the illustrations.

“Me too!” Slightly called. He insisted that he could actually read; Tink had her doubts.

“Yes,” Belle said, taking a fortifying breath. “I’ll go fetch tea for everyone. And thank you,” she said to Tink and Wendy. “Someday you have to let me introduce you to my friends; you’ll love them.”

“I’ll come with you,” Wendy said, jumping to her feet, “It will be too much for you to carry.”

Tink shrugged, following them. “Sure. Me too.” Tink supposed that, as far as fairy godmothering went, she wasn’t doing half bad considering how many years it had been. And she’d been meaning to ask Belle about Nova. She couldn’t stay in the Dark Castle forever, and Nova, she assumed, would at least be willing to work with another fallen fairy. _But maybe it will be worth it to stick around here for a few more days._

XxXxXxX

It was late when Rumplestiltskin returned to the Dark Castle, and only in part because he wanted the ogres dealt with as swiftly as possible. The truth was, he didn’t want to face Belle. Even if he was right about the ogres (and he was still convinced that he was), he’d spoken to her poorly and left without so much as indicating how long he’d be gone. She was going to be furious at him, and with good reason.

But his hope to arrive only after she had gone to bed prove futile; she was sitting in the great hall, reading a book by the fire, a tea tray beside her. There were two cups, one from the set and their chipped one. He glanced as his mud and gore splattered boots. She’d been waiting up for him. 

She carefully marked her place in her book then set it aside. “Hello, Rumple,” she said. He couldn’t make heads nor tails of her expression. “Come sit with me.”

He swallowed. Would she yell? Was she going to leave him? _She will, you know; they always do._ “I should probably bathe,” he said. “I smell of ash… and ogres.”

“Do you promise to come back and talk to me?”

“It was necessary,” he blurted out. “I can’t relocate them, Belle; it can’t be done!”

“Perhaps not,” she said, “But I would like a chance to discuss it when you’re not upset and worried about other things. We have a lot to figure out Rumple; so much has happened in the past few days. I know you’re scared, and Bae is too, but I need you to hear me out, all right?”

What she was asking was more than reasonable, but still the dread pooled in his stomach. _You’ll never be able to be what she needs; you’re a monster._

_I need her._

_She’s making you weak._

_No! She makes me stronger._

“Of course,” he said. “Thirty minutes?”

She smiled and picked up the teapot. “Perfect, that will give me time to make fresh pot.”

He could only bow awkwardly. “‘Til then.”

XxXxXxX

In addition to the tea, Belle sliced some bread and cheese for Rumple to eat. She’d never quite been able to figure out how his appetite worked here in the Enchanted Forest (sometimes he would demand four meals a day, while at others he would brush off the mere suggestion for food for days or even weeks), but she was certain that eating regularly made him more human. If they were going to get through this, he was going to need as many reminders of his humanity as she could manage.

He came back down precisely thirty minutes after he’d left, freshly bathed and dressed in the softer silks and brocades he sometimes chose over his exotic and intimidating leathers. His hair, curly like she’d remembered it for so long, was perfectly dry; he must have used magic to bathe and dress so quickly.

“Have a seat,” she said, pouring tea into the chipped cup. She liked to see him drinking out of it, and it always seemed to calm him somehow. He listened better when he was calm.

“You don’t have to serve me anymore,” he said.

“I want to,” she replied. “I makes me feel useful.” And maybe that was the crux of it. All these problems before them, they all relied on Rumple to solve. She could read as many books as she liked, brainstorm as many clever ideas as she could, but it was Rumple’s magic that took care of it all in the end. And that wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair to her, or to him. He was more than a magical tool for her to use, and she was more than his little trinket to sat by the fire and read her books while he was off doing the important work.

He took a few hesitant steps closer. “How are our guests?”

“Settled in. Bae spent the day gathering winter clothing for them, and other things they might need. Wendy and I started researching where they are all from. I’m afraid that most of their parents must be dead by now.”

“I surmised as much,” he said solemnly, “But I’ll do what I can, Belle.”

“I know.” She gave him as cheerful a smile as she could manage, hoping to relax him enough that he might finally sit. It seemed to work, and he took the cup (and the mismatched saucer) with utmost care.

“Thank you,” he said.

“You’re welcome.”

“I’m sorry,” he volunteered, “For my tone earlier. And for leaving so abruptly.”

“Thank you. And I’m sorry for forgetting how difficult this past day must have been for you. I did check on your father-”

“Belle!” 

She gave him a sharp look. “I didn’t go alone; Bae and Tinker Bell were with me. I had to see that he had food and water at least, and I brought him some blankets. You know that the dungeon is not heated.”

Rumple sighed. “I left him bread and water.”

“I saw.”

“He’s dangerous,” he said almost petulantly.

“I know.”

Rumple put down his cup. “What is it you want from me, Belle? I’ve tried to be a better man for you, but I cannot be other than what I am.”

She leaned over and took his hand. “I know. And you have been better. With all you did in Storybrooke, I forgot that it’s unreasonable of me to expect you to solve everyone’s problems. But there is something I need; I need you to listen to me.”

“I do!” he objected.

“I know. No man had ever listened to me like you do. But when you get angry, or scared, you don’t tend to listen to anyone, which is why were discussing this now, when you’re calm. You see?”

He looked away. “I’m sorry, Belle. You deserve so much better-”

“Rumple, stop. I deserve to make my own choices, which you’ve always supported more than anyone. So when I choose you, I need you to respect that.”

“I… do. I just for the life of me don’t understand it.” He met her eyes. She saw the wonder in his expression, and she suddenly hated that man in the dungeon for laying the foundation of Rumple’s belief that he was unworthy of love or affection. If she had realized before that Pan was his father… but she knew now. They would deal with this; they always did.

“You have a good heart, Rumple.” He started shaking his head, and she insisted, “You do! It’s… burdened. Cursed. But good underneath that.”

“Even if that were once true, I let the darkness in, Belle. It’s a part of me now. Breaking my curse won’t change that.”

“Is that why you want to go back to Earth? Was it easier for you there?”

He blinked at her. “It’s not a matter of what I want. I need to take care of Bae, and Earth is our best option. But in a way… yes, it is easier. There are fewer pressures there, fewer… temptations.”

“I think August might disagree with you about that,” she said with a small smile.

“What entices me is not the same as what entices the puppet,” he said.

“Power,” she said. “Magic.”

“Yes.”

“I see.” Wendy had been right. Belle had been thinking of it as running away, but he’d been thinking of it as avoiding temptation. “It still seems wrong to me. What about this world? What about our friends?”

“This world is older than the curse of the Dark One. It survived perfectly well without it before; it can do so again. And you can make new friends.”

She frowned. “Friends are not interchangeable, Rumple. And no one there will even be able to know who we really are.” Being stranded in a land where he could not tell anyone who or what he was had done August no favors. Their earlier plan to explore had seemed like a grand adventure when they could return to Storybrooke at any time, but this was so much more. They would lose a part of themselves by doing this; she was sure of it.

“If I say I do not want to go, what will you do?” she asked.

His expression became pained. “I suppose… I would try to get one of you to change your minds. I cannot choose between you and Bae, Belle. Please don’t ask that of me.”

_Of course._ That would be terribly unfair. She’d told him before that she would be honored to be second to his son (and she was), but she could not ask him to choose between them. If it came down to it, she would go with them. But she did have time to change their minds. “I understand. If Bae and I had no opinion, and you got to choose where we go, what would you choose?”

He looked into his tea. “I… don’t know.”

“No?”

“No. I… this world is more familiar. And we are surrounded by magic, which I could use even if I give up my curse. Potions and talismans… But Bae is right, that I have many enemies, enemies with their own magic; we would be safer on Earth. And I suppose… if I am to relinquish my powers, I would like if no one else had magic either.”

Intentional or otherwise, he was making a case for Earth. His reasons for staying hinged on finding ways around the loss of his powers; that was not what she or Bae wanted for him. And he would be constantly afraid, waiting for the next enemy to appear and avenge themselves. Perhaps Bae was right. “I’ll think on it,” she said. “We can’t leave anyway until we can return as many of the Lost Boys as we can to their homes, and locate the Apprentice.”

“Yes,” he said.

They drank their tea in silence for a time, then she worked up the courage to ask, “How far did you get with the ogres?”

He didn’t look up. “It’s hard to say. I visited each kingdom at least once. They travel at night, so my messages are being spread as we speak. In the morning, we will see how they have reacted.”

“I still think that there must be a better way.” He took a deep breath, but did not reply. “But I do not know what that way is. If I do think of something, will you at least listen to me?”

He glanced up. “I will listen,” he said. “But I may not be able to agree.”

“I understand; that’s all I’m asking.” She put down her cup and offered him the plate of bread. “You should eat something.”

He was able to smile. “Still determined to keep me full, I see.”

She smiled back. “Yes.” While he was always handsome to her, she did like him with a fuller figure. She knew it was not the fashion on Earth, but it stirred her, the way it stirred him to see her in his clothes. 

And that gave her a wicked idea. He hadn’t seen her in his leathers, had he? Her smile widened.

XxXxXxX

Geppetto watched his boy and Jiminy sleep. After the past few sleepless nights of crises and emergency calls, Pinocchio had dropped off fairly quickly, regardless of the hard ground and cold air. He’d remembered an old trick from their voyage home after escaping Monstro, and taken off his neckerchief, tied it at the corners, and stuffed it with leaves to serve as a pillow. They had no cloaks or blankets, but Nova’s enchanted fire would see them through the night.

Still, the air was chill. Geppetto looked out over the crowd of people; most were sleeping, but some, like him, were awake, staring into the pink and orange flames. His parents, still puppets, were in his arms. He was afraid to put them down. And he was even more afraid to wake them. 

Suddenly, Pinocchio shivered violently, and his eyes snapped open. “Pinocchio?” Geppetto asked in concern, keeping his voice low.

Pinocchio blinked in confusion, then looked up at him. “Papa? Yes… yes, I’m fine, I just… bad dream, I guess.” He sat up, rubbing his arms and scooting closer to the fire. Geppetto did not remember him being this sensitive to cold when he was a boy, but he had changed a great deal since then. Geppetto’s greatest regret in life was that he had missed it.

“What did you dream?”

Pinocchio shook his head. “I don’t even know. Probably something about those ogres; I knew that was going to give me nightmares.”

“You must have been frightened.”

“I guess,” he shrugged, “But mostly it was just… gruesome. I guess I’m really not cut out for that kind of thing. But then we knew that already.”

“There’s no shame in it. Not everyone is a soldier.”

Pinocchio nodded, with wry smile. “Or the Dark One. Or the Evil Queen. Former Evil Queen. I hope.”

“It seems strange to rely on her,” Geppetto said. “After spending so long fearing her.”

“She’s the only one with the magic chops, at least until Gold shows up again. And, well, if he can turn it around…”

“Yes.” Geppetto still thought it strange, but having betrayed his Queen and his countrymen to save his own son, he could understand what had driven the Dark One to do what he did. The Queen was more difficult, but Pinocchio had already explained why she had reversed the curse and what it meant for her. Geppetto could not help but pity her, and the price she was now paying for what she’d done. And Queen Snow and Prince David. 

“Have you slept at all?” Pinocchio asked.

Geppetto shook his head. “No, not yet.”

“You should. We have a long walk tomorrow. I can watch them,” he said, looking at the puppets in Geppetto’s lap.

Instinctively, he tightened his grip. “No, they are my responsibility.”

“Papa, I can…” Pinocchio sighed. He looked at the fire a moment before glancing back at them. “While I was asleep, did you… try waking them up?” he asked, his tone hesitant.

Geppetto shook his head. “Not yet. Not until we are somewhere safe.”

“Somewhere safe… I feel like that’s going to be a relative term for a while.”

“Yes.” They watched the fire in silence. Eventually, Geppetto asked, “Do you think I am a coward, to wait?”

Pinocchio looked at him, baffled. “No, of course not. You’re not a coward, Papa.” 

Geppetto stroked the light horse hair atop his mother’s wooden head. _But I am, he realized. I’m afraid that I will not be able to wake them._ He knew he loved them, but did he love them enough? Did they love him enough? In a way, things had been simpler before he learned that there might be a way to bring them back; so much time had passed, and even the Enchanted Forest was not what it was.

_What will they think of it? What will they think of me?_ “You’re worried,” Pinocchio said.

“Yes.”

“I’m sure it will work. You were able to cure the dreamshade; you can do this.”

He nodded. “I’m sure you’re right. I’ll… I’ll try when we’ve found a place to settle.” But how long would that take? 

Pinocchio looked at him with trusting eyes. Sometimes, Geppetto did not feel deserving of the trust Pinocchio had in him, but it never seemed to waver. Not even after all he had cost them. “If you think that’s best.”

_Coward._

Geppetto looked at Jiminy, still asleep atop a rock near the fire. His wings fluttered slightly with every tiny snore (that, to this day, he still insisted he did not make). “You should try to sleep some more,” Geppetto said.

Pinocchio smiled. “You first.”

XxXxXxX

Regina was not sleeping. Ogres aside, there was no rest for her, not after what she’d lost. There was only one way she knew to end her suffering, but she knew Henry wouldn’t approve of her taking her own heart out. But what did that matter when she would never see him again?

As she stalked along the edge of camp, she thought she heard the phrase “Evil Queen.” _Maybe I’ve started hearing things._ But there it was again, and she looked in that direction. The puppet was awake, talking to his father. _I saved his life, and he’s slandering me, the drunken idiot._ She used her magic to eavesdrop. Perhaps there was something that might cheer her up after all. _I wonder how well he burns like this._

“…After spending so long fearing her.”

“She’s the only one with the magic chops, at least until Gold shows up again. And, well, if he can turn it around…”

“Yes.” 

And they stopped. _That’s it?_ But then, the puppet was a coward; he would latch on to anyone he thought could protect him. _Like Rumple. And now me._ It didn’t mean anything.

_He was Henry’s friend._

That didn’t mean anything either. She continued to listen in until it became obvious that they were done talking about her. She broke the spell and kept walking.

XxXxXxX

“I need to go out again,” Papa said, consulting his map. “The ogres have not begun a full retreat.”

“Can’t you give it another day?” Belle asked. Bae drew up his shoulders; he didn’t want to witness another fight. 

Papa shook his head. “Ogre memories are very short. Waiting will only lessen the impact of my message.”

Belle sighed. “I understand.” _She does?_ She’d seemed so convinced yesterday that they should find a way to banish them instead. 

Bae was able to relax a bit. “Good luck!” Wendy called. She’d made it her mission to keep everyone was positive as possible as they sorted out everyone’s future. Bae was glad. 

Papa disappeared, off to fight the ogres ( _again_ ). But there was still that other matter… “Belle?” Bae said, his eyes on the tabletop.

“Yes?”

“I’m… sorry I yelled at you. What I said… I’m sorry.”

She put a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, Bae. We were all upset, but I appreciate you saying that. I know you’re still worried about his curse; we should discuss that when he gets back, OK?” 

“There’s nothing left to discuss. He needs it for now.”

“He also needs to know that you feel safe. Remember what Archie said; communication is the most important thing. Even if plans don’t change, he’ll at least be aware of what going on, right?”

He looked up at her. “Yeah.” She wasn’t his mother. But he wanted her to be.

XxXxXxX

“Stop,” David ordered. He was at the very head of their procession of refugees, with Mary Margaret (after so many months in Storybrooke, August was going to have to get used to calling her Queen Snow again) and Regina. August and his father were just behind them; if more ogres attacked, he wanted to be with the one person who could immolate them with a wave of her hand, Evil Queen or not. She’d given him an odd look when he’d lined up behind her this morning, but nothing got singed, so he figured it was OK (for now).

Mulan was mounted on a brown and black horse, riding up and down the line of people, keeping order and looking out for ogres. She rode up behind them. “What is it?” she asked.

“I think I hear something,” David said. Over the chatter of voices and the stomp of feet, August thought maybe he was it was hearing it as well. Something moving in the trees? 

Mulan drew her sword, and looked to their right. “I hear it too. It’s too small to be an ogre, but it’s coming this way.”

“What do you think it is?”

“It could be anything. A bear. A chimera.”

“A chimera?” August asked.

“SHH!” Mulan hissed. August shut up, pulling his father away from that side of the line. Papa looked at him in concern, carefully cradling his parents in his arms. Leroy adjusted the grip on his axe, and Nova readied her wand; they could definitely hear it now. It roared and... bleated?

Mulan nodded. “A chimera.” Regina shrugged and readied a fireball. Mulan looked at her. “Let me try to kill it cleanly. If I can, it will feed many of these people tonight.” _Ew._

Regina shrugged again, regally. “Have it your way.”

Mulan positioned her horse in front of them, trading her sword for her bow, but just as the creature came into view, a dark shape dropped out of a tree, slicing the snake head clear off, and landing on the animals’ back. The roar was deafening, and another stab, this one to the lion head’s neck, caused it to stagger. A third cut, to the goat’s head, and it fell. “Die, beast!” The man shouted, and August recognized that voice.

“You got it, Gaston!” LeFou cheered, emerging from the trees.

David and Mary Margaret exchanged impressed looks. “Well, he did say he was a great hunter,” David said. Mary Margaret grinned.

“Gaston!” she called, waving to him.

“Snow White!” he called back, utterly unconcerned by the blood covering him. “Well met!” August felt queasy. 

“Well met indeed,” David said, “Are there any others with you?”

Gaston shook his head, “It is only Lefou and I, but I see that the meat of this creature will not go to waste. How many are with you?”

“Over two hundred,” David called, venturing into the woods towards them. “Our destination is Regina’s castle, but we will be camping for the night at an abandoned farm not far from here. You are welcome to join us, but it’s in the opposite direction to Avonlea.”

Gaston looked down at his kill. “I have been informed by my father that LeFou and I are unwelcome in Avonlea. If you will have it, Prince David, my sword is yours.”

“Mine too,” LeFou said, his eyes pleading. August supposed that with things the way they were, two gay knights with no sovereign wouldn’t last long in the Enchanted Forest.

“You are always welcome in our kingdom,” Mary Margaret said. “And your experience with the ogres will be invaluable.”

Gaston grinned and bowed to her, LeFou following suit. “Thank you, Queen Snow.”

“Jiminy,” David called, “See if there are any hunters or butchers with us, who can help with the carcass.”

“August can help us,” Gaston said cheerfully, and August shook his head frantically.

“No, no, no…”

“No!” Lefou snapped peevishly, then leaned over to have a fiercely whispered conversation with Gaston. _Thank God for jealous boyfriends._ Even if August had not already been a pescatarian, he was certain that being asked to skin and cut up an animal that looked like demented jigsaw puzzle and stank from a dozen yards away would make him one.

“We’ll help,” Leroy said to his brothers. “Come on, guys!” _Have fun with that._

“Gaston,” Mulan said to herself, “I feel as if I have heard that name before.”

“He was Belle’s fiancée,” Nova offered. 

“Oh, yes,” Mulan said. “She said he was… a great hunter. You know Belle?”

“Oh, yes, we’re good friends! August and I worked with her at the library. She went with Rumplestiltskin to Neverland to rescue Baelfire, but Jefferson says they made it back already. I’m sure we’ll bee seeing them again soon.”

“She accompanied Rumplestiltskin? The Dark One?”

“He’s her true love!” Nova said cheerfully. Mulan just stared.

“File it under ‘strange but true’,” August said. “I hope she and Bae talk him into helping with the ogres; that would make everything a lot easier.”

“I… see,” Mulan said.

XxXxXxX

“What?!” Zelena shouted. She’d planned to scout the ogre positions one more time before traveling to the Enchanted Forest and taking care of them. The sleepy princess and her prince would owe her then, and she’d have the foothold she needed to take over Regina’s castle and the surrounding lands. The time had finally, _finally_ , been right to progress in her plans.

But when she looked into her portal, what did she see but Rumple, once again at the height of his dark power, laying waste to the hordes? Frantically, she shifted the focus of her spell to Regina, and saw her, no longer in her lovely, little cell in Storybrooke, but once again in the regalia of the Evil Queen, leading a rag-tag crowd of refugees towards that very castle.

Zelena screamed and sent a blast of magic at the wall. Emerald shards scattered everywhere. “WHY DOES SHE RUIN EVERYTHING!”

A few more blasts, and Zelena was able to take a calming breath. Then another, and another. Still shaking with rage, she turned back to her cauldron. “So things have changed. No big deal. So she’s evil. Evil always loses in the end. _I’m_ wicked, and wicked _always_ wins.”


	5. Father Figures

“Rumple!” Belle called, “You’re back! Have a seat; there’s some dinner left.”

“You don’t look like you’ve been fighting ogres,” Slightly said. Bae knew by the way Slightly insisted on acting utterly unimpressed by the Dark One that he was still very much afraid of him. He was sure that his father had picked up on it too.

Papa stared at Slightly with his unnatural, golden eyes. “I engaged in something known as bathing; perhaps you have heard of it?” he said. The other Lost Boys tittered.

“I took a bath!” Slightly objected. He had. Belle had shown them the washroom the day before, and insisted they all bathe before dinner. There had been some objections until Wendy (and Tinker Bell) had taken her turn then insisted that all the boys do the same. The foamy, scented soap had made it easy for her to convince them it was a game, and Bae had found new clothes for them to change into. Bit by bit, they were coming to accept that they weren’t in Neverland anymore.

The food helped. Belle smiled and scooted over, patting the edge of the bench. “Sit,” she said. “You must be hungry.”

“If you insist, sweetheart.”

“I’ll get a plate!” Tootles volunteered. It had been his job to set the table this time around, and he’d blushed the tips of his ears when Belle had praised him for doing it. _He needs parents. They all do._

Belle served Papa from what remained of the chickens Tink had roasted (with Ace’s help), the beans Nibs had boiled, the (slightly burned) squash that Pockets and Slightly had prepared, and the bread that Curly had unevenly cut and piled into a basket. Bae and the twins were on dish duty. “You should be proud of our guests, Rumple, they have all been so helpful today,” Belle said. 

“Not Felix,” one of the twins said.

“He’s skulking in his room,” the other added.

“Oh, dear, I hope he hasn’t died in there,” Papa said in a joking tone. Belle smacked him playfully on the arm.

“Be nice, Rumple; he’s having a difficult time adjusting is all.”

“Yeah, adjusting,” one twin muttered.

“He’s just mad that he can’t tell us what to do anymore,” the other said. Bae agreed.

“I’ll have a word with him,” Papa said. 

“Ooh, Felix is in trouble!” 

“Trouble with the Dark One.”

“He’s not in trouble,” Belle scolded the twins, “Mind your own business, if you please.” Bae snorted; that was one thing the twins had never done. And neither had Felix, for that matter. Bae knew Pan’s second was planning something; he wanted him gone. 

Papa ate quickly, and then it was time for dessert. Belle had tried to insist on fresh fruit, but after so many years in Neverland (where fruit and fish were pretty much the only things regularly available to eat), the Lost Boys had nearly mutinied. They’d had a taste of chocolate yesterday, and weren’t about to settle for anything less. Wendy ended up baking a (slightly overdone and lopsided) chocolate cake from a recipe in a cookbook she found in the library, and was praised as a hero for saving them from the fruit. Papa chuckled as Belle explained, still a bit put out.

“I’m sure you had the noblest intentions, sweetheart,” Papa said, kissing her temple.

“But?” she asked, archly.

“Nothing,” he said, “Sometimes things don’t go to plan.”

“I knew it!” one twin said.

“She had a plan.”

“An evil plain.”

“Definitely.”

Papa glanced at them sharply, and they ducked their heads. “Maybe not evil then.”

“But a plan.”

“A plan to make us eat fruit.”

“We’re sick of fruit.”

Belle rolled her eyes, and Papa frowned. “You know what? I think it’s time for bed,” one twin said, getting up.

His brother got up with him. “Me too.”

“Ah, ah,” Belle said, “Dishes first.”

“Aw…”

“Do we have to?”

“Yes,” Papa said firmly.

“I’m not doing them alone,” Bae insisted, standing up. 

They sighed dramatically. “Fine.”

“We’ll do it.”

“Don’t know why you’d have a magic castle, though.”

“If it doesn’t do the dishes.”

“Well, I could use magic to do them,” Papa said, examining his claw-like nails. The twins perked up. “But then I’d have to take your first born. And frankly, I don’t want the little harridans running about.”

“Rumple,” Belle said again, hiding her smile. Bae just shook his head.

He was elbow deep in warm, soapy water before he realized that not once during the meal had he been afraid that his father would lash out at the twins for their disrespect. Granted, he was usually more patient with children than adults, but the tension that had been knotting his shoulders for days eased a bit. 

One of the twins suddenly dropped a pot into the large, stone sink, and a wave of water and suds soaked all three of them. They all sputtered for a moment, then the twins started laughing. Without thinking about it, Bae joined in.

XxXxXxX

It had been a strange day. The violence against the ogres had delighted Rumplestiltskin’s darkness, and releasing wave after wave of raw power was intoxicating in a way he would never be able to forget, but for the first time in centuries, it didn’t sit quite right. His curse was calling to him, whispering at him to let go and revel in it. He couldn’t listen to it; the last time he had, it had cost him everything.

He’d come home, not quite sure that the job was finished, but needing to see Bae and Belle. He’d arrived in the middle of dinner, a meal as boisterous as he would expect any gathering of ten teenagers to be, and somehow he had fallen in step with it as if he belonged there. Oh, some of the children were still afraid of him, of course, but none of them questioned his right to be there. It was strange.

Or not so strange - they were used to living with a monster. He glanced at the stones beneath his feet. He didn’t want to think about his father, what he’d done... the possibility that he was telling the truth. He knew the man was lying, and still that little voice was whispering, _what if this time he really means it?_

That voice had taken them to Neverland. It had created Pan. Pan, who had kidnapped and tormented his boy. No, Rumplestiltskin could not listen to that voice; even his curse was safer.

Belle put a hand on his arm. “Are you done with the ogres for now?” she asked. The children milled around them, gathering up the remains of the meal or wandering off to their rooms or the library.

“For tonight,” he said. “We’ll see haw far they’ve retreated in the morning.”

“I don’t think I said thank you,” she said. “Thank you.”

He squeezed her hand. “You’re very welcome, my dear.”

“I have a list of all the Lost Boys’ home worlds, and estimates of how long they’ve been gone. Will you look at them tomorrow?”

“I can look at them tonight.” It was a decent excuse not to address his prisoner.

“It can wait; you look exhausted. I’m going to ask Felix if he wants something to eat, and then I’d like to spend the evening with you, all right?”

“Why don’t I have my word with him now? Best to nip this little rebellion in the bud; then I am all yours, sweetheart.”

“Please, Rumple, be patient with him. He’s still a boy-”

Rumplestiltskin snorted. “He’d be accounted a grown man in nearly every village from here to Arendale. He’s the oldest of the lot, and either sulking like a brat or plotting something. Bae doesn’t trust him, and I trust his judgment.”

Belle sighed but did not argue. “I’ll accompany you, at least. He deserves a chance. And, if you are right, I believe the expression is ‘good cop, bad cop’?”

He grinned and kissed her. “That is the expression, indeed.”

XxXxXxX

Felix wasn’t in his room. Rumple’s crystal ball revealed that he was outside, on the northern end of the castle. Rumple frowned. “That’s near the dungeon.”

“It could be coincidence; you said they were free to explore the grounds.” And she was glad of it. Some of the boys could not cope with being indoors for too long. Had the weather been warmer and the ogres gone, she was sure that some of them would have opted to sleep outside.

He nodded. “I did. Let’s see what he has to say for himself.” Rumple extended his arm, and she took it. It was a bit of a walk to the tree Felix had decided to perch in, and Belle leaned her head against Rumple’s shoulder, enjoying the warmth of him at her side and the crisp, night air in her lungs.

Rumple put the orb away just as the tree came into view. Felix, she saw, was the only Lost Boy who still insisted on carrying all his weapons. _Perhaps he’s only frightened. Pan was his world for so long…_

“Enjoying the view?” Rumple hailed. It was a nice view. The castle itself was near the peak of the mountain, and the north and south sides looked out over deep valleys. There was a dusting of snow on the taller peaks, and Belle did not think it would be long at all before the mountains were buried in white.

Felix tensed at the voice, then looked down at them. He still said nothing. “You know, you haven’t been very grateful of my rescue nor my hospitality,” Rumple said. “It’s customary for a guest to at least speak to his hosts.”

Belle patted Rumple’s arm in warning. She did not want to put the boy on the defensive right at the start. Rumple looked at her, exasperated. “Let me try,” she whispered. He nodded. “It’s going to be cold tonight,” she called to Felix. “Don’t you want to come in? Have some dinner?”

He looked back out at the valley again, then back to her. “Why?” he asked dully. It was the first word she had ever heard him utter.

“Well,” she said, “I imagine you’re not used to the cold, after so long in Neverland.” The twins had certainly complained enough about it. “And you have to eat sometime.”

“I can take care of myself,” he said, pointedly looking back out at the valley.

“Then I suppose we can lower the gate behind us and leave you out here for the night,” Rumple said.

Belle glared at him, but Felix only shrugged. “If you want.” It was a bluff, she was sure of it.

Rumple decided to call it. “Very well.” He shrugged as well, turning around back towards the front gate, his arm still in hers. She let him lead her, hoping this would stir Felix out of his melancholia.

They made it a dozen steps before she heard the tree rustling, and the thud of Felix’s boots against the ground. But instead of asking them to wait, he simply took off towards the front gate before they could lower it. Rumple made a gesture, and they heard the squeal of metal. “Rumple, what are you doing?”

“I’m getting to the bottom of this. If he wants inside, he’ll wait for us.”

“And if he’s just a scared boy?”

“He’ll run. Or cry out.”

“Is this really necessary?”

“If Bae is right, he’s a threat. To Bae, to you, and our other guests. I will not allow that; you know I won’t.”

She didn’t think for a minute that Felix would be able to do a thing to her or Bae, but Rumple had a point about the others; he was sleeping right in their midst, in an entirely different area of the castle than where the three of them slept. If he decided to act in the night, he could harm one or more of them before Rumple was even aware of it. “All right,” she said, “But let me be good cop.”

His lips curved into a wicked smile, “Perhaps later, as well?” he teased.

“Stop that,” she said with a laugh. “Now is not the time.”

She shrieked as he buried his cold nose in her hair, just behind her ear. “Stop that!” she giggled. He did, but his smile was smug.

“As you wish, my lady.”

She laughed, tugging him along towards the gate. They found Felix attempting to climb it. “Get down from there!” she scolded, “You could hurt yourself. And you’ll never be able to climb it.”

He stared at them, then dropped to the ground, his shoulders rounded in a petulant sulk. “Now,” Rumple said, “If you would like to sleep in a bed tonight, I suggest you answer our questions.”

“Rumple,” Belle objected, “We have already offered him hospitality.”

“And he has behaved as no guest. The fairy offered a story. The other children have all pitched in with the chores. There are neither ogres nor bandits anywhere near the castle. Though I’m not sure I can say the same about werewolves…”

“Rumple, stop!” He turned to her, and winked. _Oh._ She turned towards Felix. “Please. We want to help you, all of you. Just talk to us. I promise, Pan can’t hurt you anymore.”

“Pan didn’t hurt me,” he objected. “He saved me. You’ve been talking about sending us back; I don’t want to go back.”

“Now, we’re getting somewhere,” Rumple said. “It makes no difference to me if you go back, but I will not tolerate rudeness in my home. The last person to-”

“Rumple, hush,” she said. “You’ll scare him. We won’t send you back if that what you want, but we can’t help you unless you tell us what you need. Do you understand?”

Eyes still wary, he nodded. “So can I take it from your attempt to scale my portcullis that you’d like to stay?” Rumple asked, his voice taunting. Felix looked away, but nodded again. “Then I expect that you’ll be joining the rest of the Lost Boys in their daily chores?” There was something so fatherly in his tone just then that Belle had to struggle not to smile. A third nod.

“I’d like verbal affirmation, if you please.”

“I… don’t know what that word means,” Felix admitted, his mask of bravado finally crumbling away.

“It means I want you to actually say, with your voice, that you agree to these conditions.”

“Fine. Yes, I will.”

“Wonderful!” Belle said, taking a step towards him; he backed up as if she were a threat. She stopped immediately, and showed him her empty hands. “I promise, I’m not going to hurt you. You missed dinner; please come in and have something to eat.”

He swallowed then looked at the still closed gate. He jumped when it started to raise itself. He let them walk through it first then followed them. When they got back to the kitchen, Belle was happy for the warmth of the fire, although she was confused to see Bae and the twins wringing their shirts out in front of it. “What happened to you?” she asked.

“I dropped a pot,” one twin said.

“Right in the sink,” the other added, glaring at his brother.

“We got a little wet,” Bae said, “That’s all.”

“Go change,” Rumple told Bae, “You have plenty of dry clothes upstairs.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Bae sighed, tugging at his soaked shirt. “Is everything… all right?” he asked, eyeing Felix suspiciously.

Rumple looked at the blond boy. “I think we learned a lot tonight, didn’t we, Felix?”

Felix nodded, and at Rumple’s raised eyebrow said, “Yeah. Sure.”

“All right,” Bae said carefully, “I’ll meet you in the library, OK?”

“Yes,” Belle agreed, then turned to Felix. “Let me get you a plate.”

“Another plate!” One twin mourned.

“We just finished!”

“Felix can wash his own plate,” Rumple said. “And he will. Yes?”

Still frowning (Belle wondered what it would take to get him to smile), Felix nodded. “Excellent,” Belle said, pointing out the cupboard that held the dishes, then the pantry. Tink had taken what meat had remained on the chickens and carved it from the bones for later. It was long cold, but Belle was able to put together what was essentially a lopsided sandwich. The cake and vegetables from dinner were gone, so she grabbed an apple and a carrot. “Do you know how to peel this?” she asked about the carrot.

“Do I need to?” he asked.

The twins nodded. “It doesn’t have a peel.”

“It’s not a banana.”

“It’s hard to wash a carrot thoroughly,” she said. “If you peel it, you know you’ve gotten all the dirt and germs off.”

“What are germs?” 

“They sound nasty.”

“They are. They’re tiny little organisms that can make you sick.”

“Organ…”

“…isms?” The twins looked at each other and laughed. Belle sighed. _Teenage boys…_

“Organisms. Tiny, little creatures. They’re too small to see, but they’re what makes foul water so dangerous to drink. They also live in dirt, so it’s important we wash our fruits and vegetables thoroughly.”

The twins stared at her. “Are you telling us…”

“There are tiny, little _things_ …”

“That stick to our food…”

“And make us sick?”

“That’s a lie!”

“You’re lying!”

“She’s not,” Rumple growled. “And you will not insult the lady of this castle by accusing her of such.”

“But…”

“But…”

“Rumple,” Belle said, “Please, be patient. They didn’t get taken by the curse, and not many people in the Enchanted Forest have access to the books you gave me.” There was a book in her library, which she now knew was from Dr. Whale’s land, that had explained the germ theory of disease. She hadn’t been sure at the time whether she believed it, but had found the possibility fascinating. When the subject had come up again on Earth, she wondered how the author of it would feel, knowing that his theory would someday be proven correct.

She turned to the twins. “Do you enjoy eating dirt?”

The shrugged. “Didn’t have much of a choice.”

“Not with Pan.”

She smiled sadly. “Well, you have a choice now; do you?”

“Maybe…”

“No.”

“Then let me show you how to peel a carrot.”

XxXxXxX

Bae made it to the library before Belle and his father. Wendy was there, helping Tootles and Curly read from an illustrated poetry book. Nibs was sitting in the window seat, watching the sunset.

“Hello, Bae!” Wendy greeted. “Come sit with us!”

Gods, he’d missed her. “Sure. But I’ll have to leave again in a minute; I’ve got the talk to Papa and Belle about Felix and Malcolm.” He found it safer to refer to the man by his real name. Pan had been powerful, a terrifying force of nature; Malcolm was just a man. 

Curly and Tootles shuddered. “He’s not going to let him out, right?” Curly asked.

“Absolutely not. Papa knows how dangerous he is.” Belle, Bae knew, would argue for mercy, but as far as Bae was concerned, Malcolm was already getting it, and he was sure that his father agreed.

“Good,” Curly said. Bae had a sudden memory of Morraine, who had always been grateful to Papa for saving her from the ogres, even when everyone else had been afraid of him. He should ask Papa what happened to her. He hoped she’d had a long life, with many children and grandchildren.

Tootles wanted to show off the poem Wendy had taught him to read, so Bae listened while he recited it. When he was finished, Belle, now standing in the doorway, clapped and said, “That was wonderful, Tootles!” He blushed again, and Bae was starting to wonder if the younger boy had a bit of a crush on Belle.

“Thank you,” he said in a small voice.

“I need to borrow Bae a minute, but when I come back, why don’t you read us another one?”

“Um, sure?”

“Wonderful!” Bae gave him a pat on the back as he stood up and followed Belle and his father up to the tower. It was a good, out of the way place to talk, but all the magic paraphernalia still gave Bae the creeps. “So,” Belle said when the got there, her skirts spinning neatly as she turned to face them, “I think we can all agree that Felix is not a threat.”

Bae frowned; he did not agree with that at all. Looking at Papa, he saw he was not alone. Papa shook his head. “To the contrary, I’m quite certain now that he is conspiring with Pan.”

“What? Rumple, you saw what I saw!”

“A complete shift in personality? Yes, I did. It was a performance, my dear, I’m sure of it. If he were truly that afraid, he’d have left the castle when I prodded him.”

“You don’t know that! He’s a boy; he doesn’t have anywhere else to go!”

“He survived quite well in Neverland; the Enchanted Forest is nothing compared to that.”

“I agree with Papa,” Bae said. “I’ve never seen Felix like that. And he does like to play games; he was the only one who really did.”

“He needs an adult’s guidance,” Belle objected. “He was practically begging us for it.”

Bae shook his head. “Felix does not beg, unless it’s part of a game. He must be planning something; you said he was near the dungeon.”

“Well, there’s one way to know for sure,” Papa said grimly. “I have to speak to Malcolm.”

“How will you know if he’s telling the truth?” Bae asked. “He lies.”

“I know he does. Regarding Felix, I’ll use this.” He flicked his fingers and conjured a dream catcher. “About the rest? I don’t know yet.”

“Won’t that tell you if he remembers being Pan?” Bae said.

Papa sighed. “Perhaps. But there is also a chance that if he is telling the truth about not remembering, the process of extracting them might make him remember.”

“Let it,” Bae said. “If he remembers, he’ll have no excuses.”

“Bae!” Belle objected.

“I don’t object on principle,” Papa said. “But it would not be wise. If he is telling the truth, I would be giving him a wealth of magical knowledge that he could make use of.”

“Oh,” Bae said, rubbing his forehead, “Right. So what will you do with him? You cannot let him go.”

“I don’t intend to.”

“Rumple, he’s your father,” Belle said.

“So? That only makes him more dangerous.”

“What if he’s telling the truth? What if he’s just woken up, centuries after-”

“Selling his soul to the Shadow,” Papa said flatly. “I was there, Belle. He made his choice freely, and he knew… he knew the price.” 

“He knew he’d have to send you away,” Bae said. Bae remembered discussing this so many months ago. Knowing that Pan was his grandfather had shed new light on that conversation. And brought up some parallels that Bae was uncomfortable exploring. _But Papa came back; he regretted it._ Bae had no illusions that Malcolm did.

Papa nodded, and Belle had no response to that. Malcolm - no, Pan - had willingly traded his son for youth and power; there was no possible excuse for that. Belle put her hand on Papa’s shoulder. “Just don’t hurt him,” she said. “Not for his sake - for yours.”

Face solemn, Papa nodded. “He was never deterred by pain anyway,” he said. “I’ll find you when I’ve finished.” Belle stepped closer and kissed his cheek.

“Take care, Rumple.”

“Oh, I will,” he said darkly, then vanished.

XxXxXxX

Rumplestiltskin appeared in his father’s cell without even a cloud of magical smoke to warn the man of his arrival. Malcolm jumped, dropping a book to the ground. Oh, Belle. “You’re looking well,” Rumplestiltskin said flatly.

“Y…yes. Thank you. Son. Although it is a bit chilly I here.” Rumplestiltskin recognized the rounding of his shoulders and the tilt of his eyes. It was Malcolm’s ‘I’m harmless and pitiful’ act. It seemed he simply didn’t know when to stop - or, possibly, how to. 

“Dungeons usually are.” Rumplestiltskin kept his tone carefully bland.

“Yes,” Malcolm said with a disarming smile. “I suppose they are. Any chance you’re here to let me out? I was telling the truth; I really don’t remember anything.”

“That’s all right,” Rumplestiltskin said. “I do. But I do have one question for you.”

“Yes? Anything. I meant what I said, the Shadow tricked me; I didn’t mean for any of this to happen, Rumple.”

“Then you’ll answer truthfully.”

“Yes, of course!”

“When was the last time you spoke to any of your Lost Boys?”

“I… your lady and your son came by with the fairy yesterday. I asked them what you wanted from me. Baelfire told me to keep quiet.”

“Did you?” he taunted.

“I… I was scared,” Malcolm said, carefully averting his eyes. “I begged for mercy. Please, Rumple-”

Without giving him the chance to finish, Rumplestiltskin charged at his father and pinned him to the wall by his neck. _Crush it. Kill him. He deserves it, after everything he’s done to you._ Malcolm choked and struggled, but there was nothing he could do against the strength of the Dark One. Part of Rumplestiltskin was horrified to see his father like this, and another was wickedly delighted, but he ignored them both; he had a purpose for being here. 

Retrieving the dream catcher, he held it over his father’s head. Malcolm tried to look at it, his eyes frantic, but Rumplestiltskin could not tell if his fear was the result of knowing what the dream catcher could do or not knowing - or even sincere at all. Inside the dream catcher, he an image of Felix crouched by the cell’s window, speaking to Malcolm through the bars. Rumplestiltskin snarled and tossed his father to the floor. Malcolm looked up at him, the hurt and fear on his face as false as the lie he had just told. “Liar, liar,” Rumplestiltskin taunted. “It’s not very wise to lie to the Dark One, _Papa_.”

“Rumple, I-“

Rumplestiltskin snapped his fingers. Seeing as his father could not be trusted with windows, he sent him to a room without them, where Felix wouldn’t even think to look for him. All you ever wanted from me was money. _Enjoy sleeping on a pile of spun gold; I don’t imagine the spools with be comfortable._

He looked at the dream catcher with a sigh. He’d been right. But he didn’t feel vindicated, only hollow. Dream catcher in hand, he returned to Bae and Belle.

XxXxXxX

“They lied,” Rumple said without preamble, appeared back in tower. “Both of them.”

“You’re certain?” Belle asked.

He nodded, and she knew he was hurting. “See for yourself.” He showed them the dream catcher. They watched Felix crouch down next to the window, and he and Malcolm had had quite a conversation. 

Apparently, Malcolm had convinced Felix to ingratiate himself with Rumple in order to steal magic. Their plan was to find some was to restore Malcolm’s powers, and procure Felix some of his own. Boy he might be, but Belle could no longer deny that Felix was a threat to their other guests. “What will you do with Felix?” she asked Rumple.

“Well, there are two options. I could imprison him, or I could take his memories of this place and let him go.”

“Must you take his memories?”

“I don’t know what else Malcolm has told him about me or the castle.”

“Malcolm hasn’t seen anything,” Belle pointed out.

“But what has Felix seen?” Rumple asked nastily.

“That’s easy for you to find out, isn’t it? Look at his memories, and only take the ones of things he should not have seen, if anything.”

“He lied. He insulted my hospitality; there must be consequences.”

“There will be; he’s lost his place here. But taking his memories when there is no need is cruel, Rumple.”

“He deserves worse,” he growled.

“That’s your curse talking.”

“No,” he said, his tone deadly serious, “It isn’t.”

“Papa’s right,” Bae said, his tone bitter. “But so are you, Belle. Pan screwed with our memories, it... Let him remember this; that way he’ll know what he lost and why.”

Rumple stared at him, then nodded. “That’s a good point, Bae. I agree.”

It didn’t feel like a victory. 

XxXxXxX

After banishing Felix (his memories revealed that he had gone into unauthorized areas of the castle and even taken some small items), Rumple had retreated to the Great Hall to spin. Belle couldn’t leave him alone like that, so she’d quickly retrieved a book and claimed her usual chair by the fire. Bae had volunteered to tell their guests what had happened to Felix.

But Belle couldn’t concentrate. Rumple’s shoulders were bound up with tension, and his gaze was shuttered; she doubted that he even saw the wheel in front of him. Putting her book aside, she walked over to join him. “Rumple?” He grunted, barely looking at her. “You’re thinking about what you’re going to do with your father, aren’t you?”

He swallowed hard. “Perhaps,” he said, his tone carefully neutral.

She put her hands on his shoulders and started to rub them. “I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be. I’m fine.”

“You’re not.”

“I’m _fine_.”

“You’re hurting. Please, Rumple, let me in.”

He finally looked at her. “I won’t let him go; he can’t be trusted.”

“I’m not asking you to let him go; I’m asking you what happened between you.”

He gave her a look of offended puzzlement. “You know the answer to that. The Shadow offered him a deal; he took it.”

“And you were the price.”

“One he had no qualms about paying. Not then. And not… not before.”

“Tell me about before.”

He looked away. “I don’t want to talk about it. I won’t kill him; you don’t have to worry.”

“Stop telling me not to worry; you’re hurting, and you won’t let me help you.”

“You do,” he said. “You’re here.”

“I am here. So, please, talk to me. You’ve told me difficult things before. About your leg. About your wife.”

“That was different,” he said, looking away. “And you know why I told you about Milah.”

“Because Hook was trying to use that to drive a wedge between you and Baelfire. Don’t give your father the opportunity to do the same.”

“Bae doesn’t need to know!” he snapped. But his eyes weren’t angry; they were frightened.

“What don’t you want him to know?” He looked away, stubbornly. She sighed. “Rumple, why is it so much easier for you to talk about what you’ve done than what was done to you?”

He clenched his jaw. “He already knows I’m a monster, Belle; he doesn’t need to know that I…”

“That you what?” He wouldn’t meet her eyes, so she crouched at his feet, taking both of his hands in hers. “And you’re not a monster.”

“I _am_.”

“No, you’re not! You say you are because that’s easier than admitting that you’ve been hurt… Oh, Rumple,” she said, realizing that she had answered her own question. “Baelfire won’t think less of you because you’ve been hurt. It wasn’t your fault.”

He laughed brokenly. “Know that do, you?”

“Yes, I know that,” she said sharply. “You were a child; whatever Malcolm did, it wasn’t your fault.”

“I gave him the bean,” he said abruptly. “The bean that brought him to Neverland. I wasn’t supposed to, but I... So, you see, it was my fault. All of it.” He dropped her hands and stood up, stepping away from her.

“How old were you?” She asked, following behind him.

“Seven. Does it matter?”

“Of course it matters! You were only seven!”

“The puppet was seven, and he knew better. So did I.”

“Would you say that if it were Baelfire?”

“Baelfire was a good boy. He’s always been a better man than me.”

“He used a bean-”

“Reul Ghorm tricked him! And he was trying to protect everyone; I just wanted…” He started walking away, and she ran after him.

“You just wanted to be with your father, didn’t you? That’s all he wanted too-”

“And I failed him!” he yelled back. “I always fail him! Everything I touch turns to ash! It’s not the curse that does it; it’s _me_.”

She decided to take a page out of Bae’s book and use a crude term to get his attention. “Bullshit.”

It worked. He gaped at her, his mouth hanging open. She pressed the advantage, taking his hands again. “Look around you! You have a family. You are loved. There are ten children in this castle that can only sleep safely tonight because of you.”

“The were only taken from their homes because of Pan, and he is-”

“Malcolm’s fault. No one else’s. He made the choice, not you. You were a child; he should have taken care of you.” She cupped his cheek, the fine scales of his face rougher than his human skin, but not at all unpleasant. “And I cannot for the life of me understand why he didn’t.”

“Because he’s a coward,” Rumple spat. “Just like me.”

“No! He is not like you. You regretted your mistake, and you’ve fought so hard to make up for it. All I’ve heard for him is excuses; has he even said he was sorry?”

He inhaled roughly. “No.”

“Then he’s not like you. He’s the monster, Rumple, not you.”

He closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. She dropped his hand, and reached up to bury both of her hands in hair. She titled his face towards hers and brought their foreheads together. He never opened his eyes, but his breath hitched, and she thought that she might have driven him to tears. “I love you,” she said. “Bae loves you. You are loved, Rumple; never forget that.”

Before she even knew what was happening, Rumple snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her close, burying his face in her hair. He mumbled her name, his voice muffled by emotion. _Oh, Rumple._ She hugged him back, letting him hang on as long as he needed to.


	6. Give and Take

Belle was… not an angel. Rumplestiltskin did not believe in those. Not a goddess - even when they could stir up any sort of compassion for lesser beings (which was rare) they never forgot that what they pitied was inherently lesser. There had never been a being in all the realms as caring and forgiving as Belle; Rumplestiltskin was convinced of this.

_She deserves so much better than a beast._ But she - incredibly, inexplicably - had made her choice, and she had asked him honor that. And he needed her. He needed her so much that when he contemplated facing the darkness without her, all he saw was failure. Without her, he would succumb; once more become the monster that had driven Bae away.  
 _  
She’ll see, one day, what you really are. You’ll lose her like you lose everything else._

_No, please, no._

_It’s inevitable._

_She’s different._

_They’re all the same._

_Liar._

He pulled away, taking her hands in his. He was embarrassed by the display of weakness and quickly changed the subject. “Tell me what you learned about the Lost Boys,” he said.

“Nibs is from Dr. Whale’s land. We weren’t sure how time progresses there, so we don’t know if he parents might possibly still be alive. Other than him and Wendy, all their parents must have died by now.”

“And if Nibs’ parents are still alive, does he want to go back?”

“He thinks so.”

“Then I’ll look into it. And then there is the matter of the Apprentice; he is the most likely means to return Wendy to Earth.”

“I’d like to go with you when you speak to him.”

He smiled. “I was going to ask you to; I think you will get a much more positive response than I. We can go tomorrow; I don’t imagine he will appreciate anyone calling so late, especially me.”

“And the rest of the Lost Boys?”

“I can find homes for them; I have some experience in that area,” he said with a wry smile. “Many people lost sons in the wars with George and Regina.” Which he’d brought about, of course, but if Belle wasn’t going to comment on it, he wasn’t either.

“Thank you,” she said, caressing his scaly cheek. “The only thing left is…” 

“Malcolm,” he said, sighing. “I know.”

“What will you do?”

“I need to know if he does remember, and how much of a threat he might be.”

“But his power is gone.”

“We’re in a castle full of magical items, which, if he does remember, he knows how to exploit to their utmost. He is also incredibly manipulative. If he were able to catch the ear of someone like, say, Regina, he could be very dangerous.”

She nodded. “I understand. But, please, don’t hurt him. Not for his sake - for yours. He’s still your father.”

“My deal with Bae still stands.” And that was all he would say. If Malcolm were a threat, Rumplestiltskin would do whatever he had to to protect his family.

Belle nodded. “Good.”

XxXxXxX

Zelena watched Rumple as he simpered over that little maid and moaned about his father. She’d known that his father was a coward, but she had not realized before exactly how much they had in common.

_Then why didn’t you love me? She doesn’t understand you. I do!_

She needed him. She needed his brain for her spell, and she needed to show him that he had been wrong about her all those years ago; she was ten times the witch Regina was!

She needed the dagger. Once she had it, everything would fall into place. But where was he hiding the damn thing? She needed to find a way to enter his castle instead of just spying on it, or else somehow trick him into bringing the dagger out of hiding.

But what could possibly get him to take such a risk as that? She’d witnessed her mother’s failed plan (she hadn’t been sure what she’d felt when Rumple’s brat had felled her mother - other than a renewed drive to complete her time spell), and she doubted that he would fall for that twice. And it was so cliché, so… predictable. She could do better. Something so unexpected and wickedly clever that, even in his defeat, the Dark One would be forced to admit that she was a worthy opponent.

No, the boy and the maid were too obvious; she needed to target a different weakness. Fortunately for her, he had another one conveniently locked away in his castle; she only had to find a way to communicate with him. She shifted the focus of her spell to the man who used to be Peter Pan, and smiled when she saw where he had been moved to. Her Rumple certainly did have a wonderfully cruel sense of irony.

XxXxXxX

“Hello, Papa.” Malcolm jumped. In the darkness, Rumplestiltskin knew that his father could not see him, but the Dark One’s eyes were not so limited.

“Son? Rumple? Can you give us some light? Please?”

“I can see fine.” Rumplestiltskin started stalking around the room on silent feet; let Malcolm wonder what direction his voice would come from next.

“I can’t,” Malcolm pleaded.

“I know.”

“Please, Rumple!”

“Please, what?”

“I didn’t know what the Shadow would do! I swear!”

“I was there, Papa, remember? I know what happened.”

“You were just a lad…” _Gaslighting._ He hadn’t known there was a term for it until the curse brought him to Earth, but the pattern was as familiar as the turn of his wheel. Malcolm was everything that he remembered. _Kill him. He deserves it._

“I know what I saw Papa, and I know how the Shadow operated. You’re lying,” he taunted, letting the imp creep into his voice. He wondered how many con-men and grifters he’d tormented over the years, imagining that he was speaking to the man before him now. _Hundreds, probably._ And yet there was no gratification. If he didn’t need answers, he’d have fled upstairs to Bae and Belle already.

“Then it tricked you, like it tricked me. Rumple, you have to know I would never do that! I’m so proud of you son; look at everything you’ve accomplished!” _Flattery._ He knew it was false, and yet he couldn’t help the part of him that wanted so badly for it to be true. His stomach roiled with disgust.

“What have I accomplished?”

“Everything! The magic! This castle! They say you can spin straw into gold; that’s what these spools are, isn’t it?”

“Why says that?”

“Everyone!”

“Come now, you’ve been awake for, what, a week now? Surely you remember which of your boys told you that the Dark One can spin straw into gold?”

He went quiet. _Gotcha._ Without warning or explanation, Rumplestiltskin disappeared from the room. He left bread, water, and a bucket behind him, but without light, Malcolm would only find them if he bothered to look. 

XxXxXxX

“Papa!”

“Bae.” His tone was flat, and his expression haunted. Bae didn’t ask questions, just wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Without a word, Belle joined them. 

When they broke apart, Papa was frowning in confusion.

“Are you all right, Bae?”

“I’m fine.”

“Then what was that for?”

“You looked like you needed it.” The expression of baffled gratitude was one Bae had seen before, but never underneath the glittering scales of the Dark One. 

“I did, Bae, thank you.”

“You learned something bad, didn’t you?”

Papa smiled. “No, Bae, I don’t think I did.”

XxXxXxX

Zelena had to admit that watching Rumple torment his father like that had been arousing; he was so deliciously wicked. She huffed when he’d fallen into his son’s arms afterwards, wondering where the bloody hell her evil imp had just gone. She switched views to her sister, sure that that would keep her temper nice and hot.

What she saw nearly made her sick. Regina was moaning about the brat that she’d raised and had then chosen the Savior over her. She’d even taken her own heart out and was preparing to bury it (which would have made things so much easier) when that meddling Snow intervened. Platitudes were exchanged, and somehow Regina seemed to change her mind, taking back that bloody resilient heart.

_Well, that just proves how resilient it is, doesn’t it?_

Zelena needed that heart, and she was going to get it.

XxXxXxX

“He’s gone,” Rumplestiltskin said the next morning, sighing. He’d brought Belle to the Apprentice’s dwelling as promised. He supposed it would have been too easy for the man to have stayed in his old home after learning that the Dark One knew where it was. And how to infiltrate it.

Belle nodded. The place was stripped bare; the old man had obviously not just stepped out for supplies. “Do you have any idea where he might have gone?”

Rumplestiltskin shook his head. “None. Although there might be some clues in the vault below us.” It had held the Sorcerer’s Hat for centuries, at least since Zoso’s tenure as Dark One (it had been a bit of a shock to learn, all those lifetimes ago, that the curse fed him select memories belonging to his predecessors; it was that memory that had informed him of the Hat in the first place). He supposed it would be too much to hope for that it was still there, having been somehow claimed from Ingrid.

It was, indeed, too much to hope for. “Do you know what he kept here?” Belle asked, looking around at the columned space.

“A very versatile, powerful object.”

“Does it have at name?” she asked teasingly.

He smiled back. “Yes, as a matter of fact, a deceptively benign one. The Sorcerer’s Hat. But I assure you, it is so much more than that, my dear.” He did not miss the look of shocked recognition that crossed her face. “You’ve read about it?”

“I… yes. I read… it strips magic from those who have it, doesn’t it?”

“Not exactly. It consumes magic users, trapping them within. It can also-” He cut himself off. Hundreds of years of mistrust and paranoia stole his voice, even as he knew that Belle would never betray him.

“What?” she asked. “Rumple, what is it?” Honesty. One of the few things she’d ever asked for, and after the patience she’d shown him last night, he at least owed her that. And it wasn’t as if it mattered anyway, with the Hat clearly out of reach.

“It can… it can cleave me from the sway of the dagger without breaking my curse entirely. But it would be wise if you didn’t repeat that to anyone; the fewer people, like Regina, who know about how my curse functions, the better.”

“Yes, of course. But what would that mean for you? If you were to use it.”

“It would mean that I could not be controlled using the dagger but would keep my power. Every Dark One has attempted to find the Hat for that reason; as you can see, none have succeeded.”

“I understand that, what I mean is, what other effects would it have on you? You told Bae once that your curse makes it very difficult for you to empathize with others; could the Hat correct that as well?”

He blinked. “That is… a very interesting question. I’m afraid I don’t know. As no Dark One had ever used the Hat successfully, I’m not sure anyone knows. Is this… do you think this may alterative to leaving the Enchanted Forest? ‘Curing’ me without taking my magic?”

“Well, it’s worth looking into, isn’t it? Especially if we cannot find the Apprentice, or he refuses to send us back.”

Oh, it was an attractive option. He didn’t _want_ to give up his power, and the most terrifying part of his curse was the ability for any enemy who obtained the dagger to control him, to force him to do the thing he feared most: harm Belle or Bae. But there was one unavoidable flaw in Belle’s plan. “While I don’t know the exact effects of the Hat, I do know that the spell to sever me from the dagger is dark indeed; it requires the sacrifice of other magic users. I doubt that such a spell would leave my soul in a better state than it is in now.”

She sighed, deflated. “Oh.”

Still, Rumplestiltskin contemplated the Hat’s possible location. He suspected that it was with the Apprentice; it would explain why Ingrid had not taken him up on his deal for the urn if the Apprentice had offered something better. _Something having to do with Miss Swan perhaps?_ That picture he had seen on Ingrid’s nightstand had been terribly suspicious.

_Or he just took it back and banished her._ If they ran out of leads, it might be worth it to try to track Ingrid down; she might have some clues as to the Apprentice’s whereabouts. 

_Let’s call that Plan D._ Ingrid was difficult, and Rumplestiltskin did not particularly want to explain to Belle and Bae that Elsa was interred in his vault. They would demand her release, and with her Kingdom - and, more importantly, her sister - still frozen solid, she would be unbalanced and dangerous. Add Ingrid into the mix, and they could destroy the entire Enchanted Forest between them. Even he would be hard pressed to handle both of them at once (without killing them, at least).

Thinking of Ingrid and Elsa reminded him of the Wishing Star, which was still somewhere in his collection. He didn’t have the pure heart needed to use it, of course, but Bae and Belle certainly did, and Wendy as well. _Could it get her home? Or send us to Earth?_ The former was more likely than the latter, but he could not swear to either. It was a magical object, and Earth was not a magical world. It might even backfire, should they attempt it; wishes tended to do that. _Hm…_

“So what now?” Belle asked.

“Regarding the Apprentice, I’m not sure; I need to think on it. But it’s early enough that I think we can pay Dr. Whale’s land a visit today, possibly determine whether Nibs’ parent could still be alive.”

“Wonderful! How will we get there; the Rabbit again?”

“With Jefferson’s hat now destroyed, I’m afraid it’s our only option. I’ll bring the silver with me this time.”

“We should bring them some tea also,” she said, nodding decisively.

He shrugged; it might make the Rabbit more receptive. “Why not?”

XxXxXxX

It had been a long, frustrating day for Belle. First, they had discovered that the Apprentice had moved, and Rumple had no idea where to look for him next. Then, they’d returned to Wonderland, and the Rabbit had not been happy to see them again. It had taken more tense negotiations to get him to take them to Dr. Whale’s land, and he made them promise not to come around again. Apparently, the Red Queen was watching him.

And after all that, Nibs’ parents were dead after all; the King he remembered had been two kings ago. He’d tried valiantly not to cry when they told him the news, but it was too much for him. He ran off to hide in the room he was sharing with Slightly. Belle had wanted to go after him, but both Rumple and Bae had warned her off. Dinner had been a subdued affair, and then she had spent the evening scouring her library for any mention of the Sorcerer and the Apprentice, while Rumple investigated a lead up in his tower. By the time she sent the children off to bed, she had still found nothing.

She sat back with a huff. “Are you all right, my dear?” Rumple asked from the doorway.

“Oh, Rumple, did you find anything?”

He shook his head. “My experiments proved less informative than I had hoped. Perhaps it’s time for a break, hm?”

She sighed. “You’re probably right,” she said, hauling herself to her feet. “Let’s go to bed.” She knew that whatever she was feeling, it must be worse for him. They still hadn’t decided what to do about Malcolm (now that they knew he remembered his time as Pan, he was far too dangerous to let go, but they could not leave him in the dungeon forever), and every interaction with the two of them was only another opportunity for the man to hurt Rumple. Her love was being so brave, but she knew it was wearing on him, and she couldn’t help but worry.

Deciding that the best way to lift her spirits was to help raise his, she stood up and looped her hands around his neck. Smiling, he bumped his forehead against hers and kissed her, and she tangled a hand into his hair. Tonight was as good a night as any to put on a the little show she had been planning. “Rumple?” she asked coyly.

“Yes?” he asked between kisses.

“Where did you put your dragon hide coat?”

XxXxXxX

Days passed, and Belle and Rumplestiltskin were no closer to finding the Apprentice. Wendy knew that she had to be patient. Bae had warned her that he did not know how long it would take, but he had also told her that his father would not give up. Apparently, the Dark One had even offered to scour Pan’s memories for anything he might know about the Apprentice

Unfortunately, that had led to a bit of a fight with Belle, when she learned that Pan had been moved from a cell in the dungeons to closet full of spun gold. Wendy did not think that Rumplestiltskin had helped his case when, after Belle had objected, he had flippantly replied, “It’s full of shiny things; he likes shiny.”

“Does it even have a window?” She’d wanted to know.

“No; that was the point of moving him there.”

In the end, Rumplestiltskin had been convinced to move Pan back to a proper cell, one with thick, magical glass over the window (which blocked all sound, and repelled anyone who approached it), but it seemed that Belle was bothered by the idea of keeping a prisoner at all. Wendy thought it only fair, after Pan had imprisoned her and the Lost Boys for so long, but it seemed that Belle had been kept by Regina for many years in a cell very much like the one Pan now occupied, and she couldn’t bear to see anyone else endure the same fate.

When she’d said that, Rumplestiltskin’s anger had seemed to bleed away, but no one knew what else to do with Pan, so, for now, in the dungeon he stayed. Wendy had tried to be helpful and ask the Lost Boys what they thought should be done with Pan, but after Pockets had suggested that ‘the Crocodile’ cut off his hands and throw him to the sharks, Belle had waved her off and said it was fine, that they would think of something eventually. But she wasn’t happy, and Rumplestiltskin wasn’t happy either. They weren’t still fighting, necessarily, but they were unhappy, which was making the entire castle tense. 

It was now quite late, but Wendy couldn’t sleep. Rumplestiltskin and Belle had never actually imposed a real curfew, so after a cup of warm milk had failed to make her sleepy, she’d decided to go to the library. She was half way there when she heard music.

She knew that they weren’t supposed to stay from the path between the kitchens and the library, but she was _curious._ The crackling of the music sounded like a gramophone, which, by all rights, should not even exist in this world (not that that seemed to stop Rumplestiltskin). If it was a gramophone, Wendy would like to ask Belle if she could show it to the Lost Boys; she was sure that they would be fascinated. Sneaking along the hall in bare feet (the castle was always comfortably warm, and Wendy was sure that Rumplestiltskin used magic to make it so), Wendy followed the music until she spotted Baelfire peeking around a doorframe. He must have heard her, because he looked back at her and smiled.

Wendy opened her mouth to make some excuse for herself, but Bae only put a finger over his lips, warning her to be quiet. She nodded, carefully sneaking up behind the other side of the doorframe to see what he was looking at.

Rumplestiltskin and Belle were dancing.

Wendy smiled as they carefully walked around each other, Rumplestiltskin in a very fine, blue coat, and Belle in an elaborate yellow dress that was extremely… poofy. Wendy didn’t know how she managed to move around in it.

The music was also very pretty (she had been right about the gramophone), and they were grinning at each other, as Belle slowly spun around under Rumplestiltskin’s upraised arm. She tried to step closer to him, and the hoops of her skirts collided with his legs. She giggled helplessly and said, “As lovely as this dress is, Rumple, I’d like to be able to touch you properly.”

Somewhat sheepishly, he snapped his fingers, and the skirts of the dress collapsed into layers that were elaborate enough to still match the bodice, but much slimmer overall. She put her hands on his shoulders and kissed him. “Much better.”

Smiling, Bae shook his head, then took a step back, motioning for Wendy to follow him. Not eager to get in trouble for spying on the Dark One with his lady, she obeyed. They were on the path back to the kitchens when Bae said, “Well, at least they’re not fighting.”

“I thought it was lovely.” Magic aside, her parents used to do things like that. She missed them suddenly, aware that even if she got home, they would not be waiting for her. _At least I have John and Michael._ Other than Bae, none of the Lost Boys had any family left at all.

It wasn’t fair. _Pan did this; he caused all this pain. We can’t let him do that again._ “Bae?”

“Yes?”

“What, exactly, could you father do to Pan?”

“Anything. He has a deal with me that says he can’t kill him out of revenge, but if it’s the only way to stop him, he will do it.”

“What else could he do? Could he turn him into something? Like an animal, or a tree?”

“Of course. You think he should?”

“I don’t know. I’d like him to stay in prison, but Belle doesn’t want that. And if all three of you are going to be coming home with me, what happens to Pan?”

Bae nodded. “I thought of that too. I don’t know what we should do. I’ll keep talking to my father about it.” Wendy nodded; she could be patient. 

When they go back to the kitchens, Bae raided the pantry for bread and butter, and Wendy made a pot of chamomile tea. “Have you ever had coffee?” Bae asked her, looking at his cup suspiciously.

Wendy shook her head. “Mother thought it was poor for the digestion.”

He laughed. “It’s not. At least, not if you don’t drink too much. When we get back, you should try it.”

She smiled. “All right.” When they finally went to bed, more than an hour later, Wendy was able to fall asleep just fine. And, although she didn’t remember them when she woke, she was certain that for the first time in many, many years she had had pleasant dreams.

XxXxXxX

Nearly a week of waiting, and not one of the little brats Rumple had taken in had even wandered near the edge of the property. Impatient, Zelena had moved on to her back-up plan.

“You understand what to do?” she asked Felix. The boy was oh so desperate to have his beloved Peter Pan back that manipulating him into helping had been, well, child’s play.

“Yes,” he said peevishly.

“Repeat it back to me. You’re not the only one with something to loose if the Dark One catches wind of this.”

He sighed, and she wondered if it wouldn’t be easier just to send a flying monkey. If she hadn’t known how quickly Rumple would notice a magical creature on his property, she would have turned the boy into one. “I don’t take the clover off. I find Pan’s cell and slide the paper and quill under the door, then I leave. And I don’t touch anything.”

“That’s right. The Dark One will notice of you attempt to take anything. Unless you want to spend the rest of your short life as a snail, you will do nothing to attract his attention. Understood?”

“Yes,” he said again, slipping the chain over his neck. The effect was immediate, the six-leafed clover of Oz transforming him into the curly haired boy. The real one was currently having a reading lesson with Rumple’s little tart, so Felix had a bit over an hour to get in, deliver the enchanted parchment, and get out.

He did it with time to spare, even if he’d defied her orders and spoken to Malcolm as he delivered her little gift. She turned him into a flying monkey for that, but he hadn’t been caught, and she finally had a way to communicate with the father of the Dark One. As per the instructions, as soon as the man wrote on the enchanted parchment his words appeared on her corresponding piece.

_“What do you want from me?”_

She replied promptly. _“To help you.”_

_“Why?”_

_“Because we want the same thing. Revenge on Rumplestiltskin.”_

A pause, and then, _“I’m listening.”_

Zelena smiled.

XxXxXxX

Dreams. Malcolm (he insisted that she call him Peter Pan, but Zelena knew what he really was) had said that the key was dreams. Nightmares, specifically. He’d been very specific about the things he had done to dear Baelfire in his little island, and Zelena herself had observed the damage he had wrought. Nearly nine months of Rumple playing the dutiful father, and Balefire still didn’t trust him, not really.

Oh, he said he did, but only because he thought Rumple and the Dark One were separate beings. Zelena knew better. She’d accepted Rumple just as he was, dark and greedy; the boy and the librarian demanded that he change for them and called it love. It wouldn’t be difficult to stir up the boy’s fear again, make him demand more and more assurances that the Dark One was tamed at last. Eventually, he would demand the dagger, and it would be only too easy to take it from him.

All Zelena needed was a way to curse his dreams. She couldn’t curse the boy directly, of course; Rumple would be sure to notice. She settled on a wicked bit of spell work called a nightmare stone. Creating one was easy, but took her two weeks to successfully disguise it inside a golden arrow (did Rumple know that the bow he’d taken from Robin Hood and ultimately given to his son originated in OZ? Zelena liked to think so) so that Rumple would not detect it inside his castle. Felix was then once again tasked with infiltrating the wards (she turned him back into a human, but kept his heart as insurance) and leaving the arrow under Baelfire’s bed. And the she only had to wait.

XxXxXxX

On the final day of their journey, Snow and her followers reached Regina’s castle well before sunset. Everything was just as Regina had left it. She rebuffed Snow’s attempts to involve her in managing the refugees, and retreated to her rooms, not looking back. Snow may have convinced Regina to take her heart back, but she could not stand another day without Henry. She had the recipe and ingredients for one of Mal’s sleeping curses in her chambers. Perhaps, one day, Henry would find her and wake her. 

She started gathering up the components, tensing when she felt dark magic fill the room. “Hello, Regina.” Regina had never expected to hear that voice again.

Plastering a dark smile on her face, she turned. “Maleficent. How did you get in here?”

Now restored to her human form, Maleficent smiled. “You called me friend, once. You must have forgotten to tell the wards that was no longer the case.”

“Are you here to kill me?”

Maleficent laughed. “Of course not! If I were here to kill you, you’d be facing the dragon. You know that’s my preferred method.”

“Then why are you here?”

“I’m here because I think we can make a deal.”

Regina huffed and adjusted her cloak. “You have nothing I want.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. Go away, Mal; I’m not in the mood to deal with you right now.”

Maleficent glanced at the ingredients on her table. “I see what you’re in the mood to do. You know, my sleeping curse was never meant to be used that way; it’s a punishment, not an escape.”

“Maybe I deserve to be punished.”

“Oh, come off it! Is this the same woman who told me to reclaim my fire? Make them burn?”

“I was different then.”

“Of course you were; we are all different than we were. But I never thought I’d see the day that you, of all people, just gave up.”

“There’s nothing to be done! This is the price I paid to save him!”

“Your son, you mean?”

“How do you know about him?! If you’re planning on going after him-”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I know why you did what you did; I’d do the same. I bear you no ill will.”

Regina snorted. “I’m sure.”

Maleficent smiled. “You could always carry a grudge better than me, Regina. No, I’m not here about revenge, on you or anyone. I’m here because I want to get back to Earth.”

“Then you can leave now; it’s impossible.”

“Rumple doesn’t think so.”

Regina’s head snapped around. “You’ve been to see Rumple?”

“I’ve been observing him and his new horde of waifs. He calls one of the ‘son’; I feel like that explains a lot.”

“So he is back from Neverland?” She hadn’t trusted the Hatter’s report; the man was unreliable to say the least.

Maleficent nodded. “Back and having vented his temper on those poor ogres. The good news is that that frees you up to help me on our little quest.”

“To do what?”

“Find the Sorcerer.”

“The Sorcerer…” Regina had completely forgotten about the Sorcerer. The heroes had been ever so convinced that he could take them back to the Enchanted Forest; could he possibly take her back to Henry? “No,” Regina shook her head, “It’s the price; I can never see Henry again.”

“Are you sure? Magic isn’t always clear, you know. No one has ever done what you did, and magic has been known to mislead. I hear that some of Blue’s lies have finally come out,” the blonde smiled in vindication.

_Could it be?_ “Damn it, I need to talk to Rumple,” Regina said. “This is his curse.”

“Actually, it isn’t,” Maleficent said. “It’s older than him.”

“What? How do you know that?”

“Because he tricked, Cruella, Ursula, and me into stealing it for him. It was guarded by a chernabog,” she muttered bitterly.

“So who made it?”

“No idea. But I’m betting the Sorcerer knows.”

“Why would he help me?”

Maleficent smiled sharply. “I wasn’t planning on giving him much of a choice.”

“He’s the Sorcerer,” Regina reminded her. “He’s older than Rumple.”

“Which is why I’m looking for allies. You’re the first person I came to. I might go to Rumple, if it comes to that, but I’d rather work with you.”

“Why do you want to get back the Earth? The magic’s gone, now that Storybrooke has been destroyed.”

“Someone stole something from me; I want it back.”

“If you wanted it back that badly, why didn’t you help me cast the curse? You could have found it then.”

“I didn’t know where it had been sent. I searched for it up until the curse was cast, and once it was - I knew it was there, I just couldn’t get to it.”

“How does that even-” Regina stared. “A child. You’re talking about a child.”

Maleficent nodded. “Yes.”

“Someone _stole_ your child, and banished it to Earth? Who? Rumple?”

“No, not him.”

“Who, then?”

“It doesn’t matter. My attempt at revenge only cost me my chance to find her. I’m not making that mistake again.”

“Well,” Regina said. “I suppose we have more in common than I thought.” It occurred to Regina that Maleficent could be lying to her, but it just wasn’t her style. Mal had always been brutally honest with everyone - _probably why she didn’t fit in with Blue’s little sycophants._ Regina needed this to be true; she needed a chance. And she could damn well use a friend.

“We do,” Mal said. “Are you in?”

Regina smiled. “I’m in.”

XxXxXxX

“Bae?” Rumplestiltskin asked in concern. “Are you all right?”

“Fine,” he said, his eyes shadowed. “I guess I just didn’t sleep well last night.” As if to prove the point, he yawned widely, hiding it poorly behind his hand. 

Rumplestiltskin frowned, and walked around the breakfast table to place a hand on Bae’s forehead. “Papa!” he objected, “I’m not sick!”

“Nightmares?” he asked quietly. He knew Bae had been struggling with them for years; centuries, even. They had been at their worst just after the curse broke, and had tapered off over time, but they had never truly vanished. Bae had never liked to talk about them, but Rumplestiltskin knew what they were about. _I did this; this is all my doing. Bae, I’m so sorry._

“It’s fine,” Bae said. “It’s just… having Malcolm here, I think.”

“Do you think he’s causing them?” Rumplestiltskin asked sharply. It had not occurred to him that his father might still be capable of magic; if he were, they were all in a great deal of trouble.

Bae shook his head. “No. They just… happen. Archie said they might never go away completely. It’s fine.”

“Bae, I’m sorry-”

Bae smiled bravely and put a hand on his. “I know. I’ve forgiven you, Papa. It’s all right.”

_It’s damn well not all right._

But there was nothing he could do. The effects of trauma could linger for years; Rumplestiltskin knew that. And the thought was no comfort at all.


	7. Darkness Falls

Every night, it was the same.

_It started small. His father laughed as he burned the ogres, but they were a threat, and everyone cheered. Malcolm tried to escape, and the Lost Boys thanked Papa when he choked the life out of him; they were free._

_And then it got worse. Bandits were slaughtered. Knights Papa deemed unjust. Papa hunted Killian down and cut off his other hand, followed by his head. Belle begged him to stop, and he did not._

_A tavern owner or shopkeep would disrespect him, and Papa would curse them. Turn them into something small. And then he started stepping on them._

_“Papa, no! Stop, please!”_

_He invaded Mary Margaret’s kingdom and took his revenge on Regina. And then on Mary Margaret when she tried to stop him. David charged at him, trying to defend his love, and Papa turned him to stone, then shattered him into a million pieces._

_He killed Leroy and all the dwarves. Nova. Ruby. Archie. August and Marco when they tried to run. All the kingdom, all the Enchanted Forest, all the worlds, laid to waste, while Bae begged and pleaded, “Papa, please, stop this! Please!”_

_Then he turned to him, dripping with gore and covered with ash. “Papa? You stupid boy. Did you really think your Papa was still alive? He died the second he sold his soul to me.” And then Belle appeared by his side, and the Dark One reached out a clawed hand and tore out her throat._

_“PAPA!”_

“Bae! Waken up, son!”

It was too much. This was too familiar. Darkness and blood, and _it was just a dream._ Bae started sobbing. Too exhausted to resist, he collapsed into his father’s arms when he pulled him close, clutching at the brocade waistcoat he was wearing. _Please, please, I just want it to stop._

He couldn’t make out what his father was saying to him until the roaring in his ears had settled. Papa wasn’t even attempting with apologies and platitudes anymore, he just rubbed his back and said, “I love you, you’re safe,” over and over.

Six nights in a row, Bae had woken up just like this. It couldn’t go on. Bae could barely see straight he was so tired, and Papa was eating himself up with guilt. Belle was trying her best, but there was only so much she could do. On the forth night, Papa had even brewed him a potion to stop the nightmares, and that had only earned him an extra hour of sleep before he woke up screaming.

Too tired to move, Bae clung to his father - his real father - trying to remind himself this is real. His father had control of it now. Malcolm and Regina were still alive. He let the ogres go after they began to retreat in earnest. He wasn’t giving in to the darkness again.

_But for how long? How long do you really think he can fight it?_

Bae sobbed again. He’d forgiven him. He had. He was doing his best, saving the Lost Boys when no one else could or would. It wasn’t like before his curse, but they were OK. They could hang on until they found the Apprentice.

_Apparently not._

Papa handed him a handkerchief. Bae took it, wiping his eyes. The fatigue and sudden awakening made him nauseous, but he forced himself to sit up and blow his nose. Papa watched him through golden eyes that were still so _sad._ “I’m tired,” was all Bae could say.

“I know,” Papa said quietly, placing a hand on his back. Bae could feel the little pinpricks from his claws. “Do you think you could try to sleep some more?”

“No. No… I can’t. I need… I need… coffee.” Papa conjured him a mug, and Bae was too grateful to complain about the use of magic.

“I’m so sorry, Bae…”

“Stop. Stop blaming yourself; it’s not helping.”

“I don’t know how to help you,” he admitted, his voice cracking. Bae knew he felt like a failure. Everything he’d done to keep him safe and get him back, and now Bae was under attack by his own mind.

“You are helping. Coffee is helping,” Bae said, trying to smile.

“There must be a way to stop these dreams.”

Bae had nothing to say, so he just sipped his coffee. “Maybe the cricket...?” Papa offered, and Bae immediately agreed.

“Yes. Maybe… maybe that’s it. They’re all in the dream, everyone from Storybrooke; maybe I just have to see that they’re all right.”

“Then we’ll go tomorrow, first thing. I even have some business with Regina.”

“You do?” Bae was sure that there was a good reason for his father’s visit, but he shuddered anyway.

Frowning, Papa put an arm around him. “Yes. Malcolm is… proving difficult. His memories as Pan are clouded in shadow. I’ve tried questioning him, but…”

“He knows how to play head games.”

“Yes. Regina’s not as close to him, and I think she would be interested to know about his interest in the Truest Believer.”

_Yeah, interested._ “Papa… you’re not… you’re not trying to get around our deal are you?”

Hurt, he pulled back. “Bae…”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, that wasn’t fair. You’ve been good… it’s just this dream… I’m sorry.”

“No, you… you have reason not to trust me. To fear me.”

“But I don’t, you’ve been so good-”

“I know what it is to be afraid, Bae. You have every right, but I don’t want that for you. There’s only one way I know to prove to you that I won’t give into the darkness again.”

“Give up your curse? But there’s so much more to do…”

“Well, I suppose that would do it too. But I meant… I could give you the dagger.”

“Papa, no; I don’t want to control you!”

“You won’t have to. Because I will. I promise you that. But if you have it, you know you have recourse. I would do anything to make you feel safe, Bae.”

“Won’t you feel unsafe? You were so paranoid about it before…” 

“I trust you, Bae. And no one else would know or expect you to have it. You mustn’t tell anyone.”

“Of course not. Papa, are you sure?” It felt wrong. But Bae was tired and desperate, and he knew that his dream could not come true if he had the dagger. 

“I’m sure. You can’t go on like this. And I trust you.”

Bae took a sip of his coffee and leaned his head against his father’s shoulder. “I love you, Papa.”

“Oh, Bae, I love you too.”

XxXxXxX

Zelena gazed into her portal and cackled. She conjured the enchanted parchment and wrote Malcolm a note.

“ _You were right; the dreams were most effective. You’re going for a little trip tomorrow. The boy will have the dagger._ ”

He must have been sleeping, because it took some time before he replied, “ _Peter Pan never fails_ ”

XxXxXxX

“So how many people are in this group?” Snow questioned.

“Forty-nine. That’s including fourteen children,” Jiminy answered. 

“And how many fighters?” David asked.

“Sixteen, although some may need weapons.”

August tried not to yawn. This was important stuff, he knew; it was going to take a lot of organizing just to make sure that everyone would make it through winter, and that wasn’t even getting into the rebuilding, but he’d never had a head for these kinds of details. His job at this point was basically Jiminy’s go-fer; it hadn’t been so bad at first, but the sixteen-hour days were getting to him. And the chronic lack of coffee in this world wasn’t helping matters.

_Could Rumplestiltskin get me coffee?_

_Dark One, I summon thee._

August gave what was admittedly a very undignified yelp when Gold did suddenly appear right behind the one person who looked even more bored than August.

“Hello, Regina,” the Dark One purred, cackling at the way he’d made her jump.

“Bloody hell, Rumple, don’t do that!” Regina snapped. “What do you want? If you’re looking for payment for the ogres, ask them,” she waved dismissively towards Snow and David.

Rumplestiltskin shook his head, his now curly hair framing his inexplicably greenish-gold face, and all August could think was, _he looks like Yogurt from Spaceballs._

_I really hope he can’t read my thoughts._

“No, no, dearie, the ogres were a favor to Belle. I have a different matter to discuss with you. One might even call it a gift.”

“From you?” Regina scoffed. “What is it? A wraith? A plague?”

He tittered - actually tittered - and said, “Worse than both, I’m afraid. But he’s been cluttering up my dungeon for weeks, and I was thinking you might have some use for him.”

Regina arched an eyebrow. “Him?”

Rumplestiltskin gestured, and Bae and Belle walked out of the shadows with a prisoner in shackles between them. He was also wearing some kind of muzzle, and it took August a moment to remember where he had seen it before. “Please tell me that guy isn’t actually an Asgardian,” he said. The muzzle was exactly like the one Loki wore at the end of the Avengers. _We never did figure out which gods were behind Henry being born…_

Rumplestiltskin grinned but said, “Of course not. Besides, Loki wasn’t Asgardian, he was a Jotun.”

“That is not better!”

_Please don’t be Loki. Seriously, don’t be Loki._

Rumplestiltskin cackled again and explained, “Malcolm here is neither Asgardian nor Jotun. He was, however, once Peter Pan, and I’d very much like to know how he knew about the Truest Believer. Wouldn’t you?” he asked Regina.

She stood up, stalking over to the prisoner, her black, velvet skirts trailing behind her. The former Peter Pan - who, yeah, looked way too old to be singing ‘I never want to grow up!’ - hunched his shoulders and watched her through terrified eyes.

_Is this really the same guy we spent five months being afraid of?_

_Could be an act._

“Why is he muzzled?” Regina asked Gold ( _heh, Gold - got kind of literal there, didn’t you, Regina?_ ) curiously.

“He was annoying me.”

“Is that really necessary?” Snow asked, getting up from her seat.

“This man is the reason you will never see your daughter again,” Gold said. “I assure you, it is necessary.”

“What has he told you?” Regina asked.

“A great deal, much of it false.”

“Hm. And what do you want for him?”

“I’d like to know what he tells you; see if we can’t sort out more of the truth from lies, hm?”

“Deal.”

“Marvelous!” Gold clapped his hands gleefully, and August was getting beyond weirded out. _Was he always like this? Is he high?_

_High on dark magic. No wonder Bae didn’t want to come back._

“Where’s your dungeon?” Bae asked. In contrast to his father, his tone and posture were deadly serious.

Regina glanced at Belle - who met her gaze with a challenging glare - and answered simply, “This way,” leading the way out of the conference chamber. 

Gold turned to Belle and said, “Why don’t you wait here, sweetheart? Catch up with your friends; we won’t be long.”

She shook her head. “If you won’t be long, there’s no reason for me not to be with you.”

Rumplestiltskin smiled at her and took her arm. “As you wish, my dear.”

“Ugh,” Regina complained, “Stop that. I’d actually like to be able to eat sometime today.” 

Belle and Gold both bristled, and Belle said, “Considering all you’ve taken from us, I’m afraid don’t really care about your opinion.”

Regina stopped short and wagged a finger, “Listen, bookworm-” 

August wasn’t entirely sure what happened next, but the prisoner did something, Bae shouted, and a cloud of green smoke appeared around both of them. When it cleared, the prisoner had been replaced with a flying… thing. _What the hell is that?_

“Bae!” Gold shouted

Bae was lunging for the creature and shouting something else. “He has the-”

More green smoke, and a green skinned woman with red hair and tacky taste in jewelry appeared right next to him, snatching something from the monster and smugly crowing, “Dagger? Why, yes, yes indeed.”

_Dagger?_ That _Dagger? Fuck._

XxXxXxX

“Who the hell are you?” Regina demanded, as Rumplestiltskin struggled not to panic. Zelena was dangerously unbalanced; there was no telling what she would command him to do. He looked at Bae, silently begging him to run, but he just stood there, eyes wide with shock. Belle was likewise making no movements to flee. _Run, both of you! Please!_

Zelena smiled and said, “Why Regina dear, I’m Zelena. Your sister.”

“Sister? I don’t have a sister!”

“Actually,” she said, gesturing with the dagger. “You do. Tell her, Rumple.”

Compelled by the dagger, Rumplestiltskin answered flatly, “You do.”

Regina rolled her eyes. “I know how that thing works; he just parroted what you told him to.” _Finish her, Regina!_

Zelena sighed nosily. “Fine. Dark One, I command you to tell Regina the truth. Are we sisters?”

“You are half-sisters, through Cora,” he explained. _Get angry, Regina! Fight her!_

“See?” Zelena asked mockingly. Bae took advantage of the distraction to try to sneak closer to her ( _Bae, no!_ ), but she caught him at it, casting a freezing spell. _BAE!_ “Now, now, none of that.” _Please, you have what you want, let him go!_

“This is my castle,” Regina said, “I decide who uses magic here.” She launched a bolt of magic at Zelena, but the redhead deflected it easily. 

Snow, Charming, and Belle all charged forward ( _Belle, don’t!_ ), but Zelena only barked, “Dark One, stop them!” and he was forced to freeze them all in place. _Stop! Somebody stop this!_ “My, my,” Zelena laughed. “That is fun. Seems a bit too easy, though.”

Cocking her head to the side, she approach Bae, walking around him in a slow circle. _Leave him alone, you bitch!_ “You know, for as long as he spent searching for you, I was expecting you to be a bit, more… special. And you,” she said to the flying monkey that used to be Malcolm, “I was certainly expecting more from Peter Pan.” 

She turned to Rumplestiltskin. “I’d say you were the impressive one in your family, Rumple, but, well, look where we are. You’re mine now.” She sauntered over to him, and ran a nail down his cheek and under his jaw. He’d have jerked away of he was not so terrified of provoking her. _Please, take me and go; leave them alone._ “But what shall I do with you? Oh, I know.” She gestured to Bae. “Baelfire. Any last words?” 

“NO!” he finally shouted. 

Zelena bared her teeth and dug the tip of the dagger into the soft flesh under his chin. “You don’t get to say ‘no’ to me, Dark One - not anymore.” He couldn’t speak without impaling himself on the blade. _Please, please, don’t. Anything but my boy._

_Listen to you, so pathetic. You deserve this if you’re just going to lie down and accept it._

_NO!_

Bae’s eyes were wide with fear, but he suddenly let out a great sigh. “Can I make a final request?” _Bae, no!_

Zelena cocked her head, impressed by his boldness. “That depends. What is it? You’re not going to ask me not to kill you or the maid or something, are you? That would be tedious.”

“No. Before you make him kill me,” _No, please, gods, no,_ “Or whatever you’re going to do, can I just… punch him in the face? Leroy got to do it, and I just… that’s my last request. It’s only fair.”

Intrigued, Zelena turned towards him, and Rumplestiltskin felt the tip of the dagger pull away from his jaw. _Bae, what are you doing?_ “Well, I wasn’t expecting that,” Zelena said, and Rumplestiltskin could hear the smile in her voice. She walked towards Bae, waving the dagger around casually. “Why?”

“Do you even know what he did to me? He traded me for power, that same power you’re now going to use to kill me. I deserve this.” Bae… Rumplestiltskin couldn’t make sense of what he was hearing. Bae had forgiven him. Hadn’t he? Had these last few months been nothing more than an act? _No, this can’t be true…_

Zelena laughed uproariously, and looked back at Rumplestiltskin. “Did you hear that Rumple? All that time you spent looking for him, and he hates you! That’s the most wonderful thing I have ever heard! Yes, I think I will honor your last request, Baelfire.” She lifted the freezing spell, and Bae stumbled forward. _Bae, please, I don’t understand…_

“Wait!” Zelena said as Bae took a step forward. “Remove all your weapons, and anything magical. I’m no fool.” Bae hesitated, and Rumplestiltskin finally realized that it was a ruse. _He’s planning something, but what?_ But whatever small hope he gained from that knowledge was quickly extinguished as Bae was forced to leave his quiver and bow, satchel, sword, and knife in a pile at Zelena’s feet. She grinned smugly as she locked eyes with Rumplestiltskin. _Destroy her. She is going to take everything from you._

_I CAN’T!_

Bae walked towards him, the hurt in his expression too real to ignore. _I’m so sorry, Bae. This is all my fault._ “Bae…”

“You said you loved me,” he accused.

“I do,” Rumplestiltskin objected. He could not let his boy die thinking that he was unloved.

“You said you’d give it up for me!” he shouted. 

“Bae,” Rumplestiltskin sobbed, “I’m so sorry…”

Bae grabbed the front of Rumplestiltskin’s coat with his left hand, his right clenched in a fist poised to strike. Behind him, Zelena was grinning wide enough to crack her face in two. “Prove it,” Bae growled lowly, and Rumplestiltskin suddenly understood.

In a blink, Bae leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. The didn’t have time for the slow, bewildering creep of the Kiss Rumplestiltskin had shared with Belle so long ago; they only had a moment before Zelena realized she’d been tricked. Ignoring the screaming of his curse - it didn’t want to die any more than he did - he reached for the magic of Kiss and threw his entire being into it. It felt like jumping into a gaping chasm.

And everything went dark.

XxXxXxX

“NO!” Zelena shrieked. The mottled scales and curly hair that marked Papa as the Dark One vanished in an instant. Bae saw the briefest flash of brown as Papa’s eyes became human once more, before his lids fell closed and he pitched forward.

“Papa!” Bae caught him, but he couldn’t hold him upright, and there was nowhere to go anyway. He lowered him quickly to the floor and knelt over him, praying that Regina would be able to defeat her sister. 

“Oh, no, you don’t, greenie!” Regina spat as Zelena threw the dagger at them. Regina deflected it with magic, and it clattered harmlessly against the marble floor. Mary Margaret dove for the bow Bae had abandoned. Malcolm - still some kind of winged creature - flew at her, but David threw a knife at him, clipping his wing and knocking him off course. Zelena tossed up a wall of flames between Mary Margaret and the bow, but that opened her up to a blast of magic from Regina. 

Zelena grunted as she absorbed the spell but kept her feet. “Come, my pretty,” she snarled. “Let’s go home.”

“I’m not done with you yet!” Regina shouted, but Zelena conjured two clouds of toxic, green smoke, and she and Malcolm disappeared. “Damn it! Rumple, what the hell was that all about?” Regina demanded, rounding in on them.

Papa was still unconscious. “Rumple?” Belle asked, hurrying over.

“He’s breathing,” Bae said, and that was the only thing keeping him from panicking entirely. “Papa! Papa, wake up!”

“Put this under his head,” Belle said, pulling off her cloak. Mary Margaret and David rushed over the help them, while Regina sauntered over to where the dagger had fallen.

“Do you think I should send for Nova?” Mary Margaret asked.

“She and the dwarf left already. And what’s she going to do anyway?” Regina scoffed, “Turn him pink? If he’s breathing, he’s fine; you just have the wake him up. I’ll do it.”

“No,” Belle said sharply. “He’s had enough exposure to dark magic; let him wake up on his own.”

August made his way around the table, but hung back. “Should we move him?” he asked. “Or, at least, not hover over him like that? It’s just, based on extensive personal experience, I can tell you that waking up in a strange place with people looming over you never helps… And that’s without waking up from the worst magical bender in history.”

Regina snorted, and David and Mary Margaret backed up a step. “I’ll call some guards to carry him to a guest room,” Mary Margaret said.

“We don’t have time for this!” Regina objected. “We need to know what he knows about this Zelena person! Unless either of you have any idea,” she said to Bae and Belle.

“No,” Bae said.

“He’s never mentioned her to me,” Belle agreed.

“Then we can’t wait.” She approached them, the dagger still in her hands, and Belle jumped to her feet. 

“I said no, Regina!” 

“Stop!” Bae snapped. His father’s eyelids had begun to flutter, and his let out a soft moan that no one else could hear over everyone’s shouting. “He’s waking up! Papa? Papa, can you hear me?” He brushed his father’s now straight hair away from his forehead, and he instinctively tilted he head towards the touch. “Papa?”

“Bae?” It was more a groan than a word. Then his eyes flew open, and he sat up suddenly. “Bae!”

“I’m here- oof!” Papa hugged him hard enough to knock the air from his lungs.

“Bae! Bae, you’re all right… you’re safe!”

“Yes, yes, Papa, everyone’s safe. She’s gone.”

“For now.” Regina groused, and Papa’s head snapped up.

“Who?” He pulled back, staring around, confused, at the chamber around them. “Where?”

“Papa?” Papa looked at him, his eyes crinkling in disbelief.

“Bae?” He touched the gold embroidery on the collar of Bae’s heavy coat (a gift from Papa, of course), then his hair, where it was growing overlong. “What are you… you’re… how did we get here? What happened?”

“Oh, hell,” Regina muttered.

Belle had crouched down next to them, and she reached out for him. “We came here to speak to Regina about Malcolm, remember?” she prodded.

“Malcolm!” Papa recoiled, and there was no recognition in his expression as he looked at Belle. _Oh, no…_ “Who… Bae?” 

Bae gripped both his forearms. “Papa, what’s the last thing you remember?”

“There was…” he looked around at their friends suspiciously. He did not recognize a single person. _No, no, Papa…_ “I sent you home to wait for me.”

_No, no…_ “After the fire? At the Duke’s castle? The night before my birthday?” Papa glanced around again, eyes wide with fear, but he nodded quickly.

“Oh, shit,” August said.

“Oh, Papa…”

“Damn it! Are you telling me that Rumple doesn’t remember anything after he became the Dark One?” Regina asked the room at large. Papa stared at her, mouthing the words ‘ _Dark One?_ ’ silently.

“No…” Belle said in horror, reaching out for him again. He jumped when she touched him. “Rumple, you remember me, don’t you?”

“I’m s-sorry, Milady, I don’t,” Papa replied, averting his eyes like he’d always done before he’d taken his power.

_He’s exactly like he was before._

_Be careful what you wish for…_

Bae let out a sob.


	8. Looking for Answers

Rumplestiltskin did not understand. His last memory was of Zoso’s warm blood oozing over his hands, and now he was here, in this strange place, with people dressed as nobles who all knew his name, and Bae, who was at least a year older than he had been. 

_A year? Was I the Dark One for a year?_

He did not know the woman who was looking at him so earnestly with her bright, blue eyes, but he knew that he was causing her pain. And Bae… “Oh, Bae, don’t cry, son, it will be all right…”

“I don’t believe this,” the terrifying woman in black said. She was dressed like a queen, and carried herself as one, but she’d called him ‘Rumple’, as if they knew each other. _How could I know a queen?_

She was also carrying the dagger of the Dark One.

And Bae’s crying was upsetting her. “Bae, shh, it’s all right…” Rumple said desperately.

Bae gulped loudly and wiped his face with his hands. He was dressed as richly as the rest of them, in a coat grander than Rumple could imagine even the Duke owning. The blue-eyed woman handed Bae a handkerchief, although her eyes were also full of tears as she looked at Rumple.

_What happened? What have I done?_

“Why don’t we all sit somewhere more comfortable?” the dark-haired woman in white suggested. She, too, was dressed like royalty. _  
A princess? How can this be?_

“Yeah, yeah,” Bae said, clambering to his feet. Rumple followed quickly, but he didn’t see his stick anywhere, and knew he wouldn’t be able to walk without it. But Bae, precious boy that he was, immediately saw the issue and pulled Rumple’s right arm over his shoulders. “Come on, Papa.”

“Thank you, Bae.” Rumple kept his eyes lowered. He had no idea where he was or who there people were, but they were clearly nobility, and one thing he knew was to never make eye contact with a noble. That was true for any peasant, but especially true for a coward like him.

In looking down, he noticed two things. The first was that he his own clothing was outlandish to the point of being bizarre; he could not even speculate what kind of animals had produced the leather of the scaled coat and waistcoat that he wore. The second was that his own body had changed as dramatically as Bae’s had. After years of struggling to feed himself and his boy on the edge of a warzone with a coward’s reputation, his frail physique had signaled to everyone around him just how poorly managed it. But now his limbs were sturdy, his chest no longer sunken in. He even had a proper belly, like a wealthy merchant or Lord. 

These observations only added to his confusion, so he simply stumbled along in silence, keeping a tight grip on Bae. His boy was the only thing that made sense in this strange place; as long as he was all right, Rumplestiltskin could go on. The blue-eyed woman and the woman in white followed them, the light-haired man trailing after. The blue-eyed woman pulled out a chair, and it took Rumple some moments to realize that she was actually pulling it out for _him._ “Oh, M-milady, you don’t-”

“Sit,” she said, “You’ve been through a lot; you’re shaking.”

He was, but he thought that a natural response to being surrounded by so many nobles, especially one as threatening as the woman in black - Rumple struggled to keep his eyes off the dagger in her hand. He took a half-step back, tightening his grip on Bae in order to keep his balance. “I’m fine, Milady.”

“Papa, sit,” Bae scolded. There was something old and weary in his tone, and Rumple simply did not understand.

“Yes, please,” said the woman in white. “We have a lot to talk about; you should be comfortable.”

“Just do it,” the dark-haired man said. “They won’t leave you alone until you do.” He was also dressed strangely. His clothes were made of quality fabrics in rich colors but were cut like a workman’s, and he was poorly shaven. _A master craftsman of some kind?_

Then Rumple yelped as he noticed a truly enormous insect walking across the tabletop. It was even wearing a tiny coat and hat! And it spoke to him! “Please sit, Rumplestiltskin; we know you’re confused.”

Rumple gaped, and he heard the woman in black laugh as he asked, “Are… are you cursed?”

“No,” the insect said with a small (very small) chuckle. “I know it must seem odd, but I was blessed by a fairy. I needed help, and this was the best way for her to help me.”

The dark-haired man rolled his eyes. “That’s one way of telling it.”

The insect gave the dark-haired man a scolding look (and it was just one more bizarre thing to learn that an insect _could_ give someone a scolding look), then turned back to Rumple. “My name is Jiminy Cricket. I am an advisor to Queen Snow White.”

“Queen!” Rumple squeaked, and the woman in black laughed at him again. Bae and the blue-eyed woman glared at her for that, and Rumple immediately chastised his boy - he could not even fathom what the woman in black might do if she felt slighted. _Can she command me with the dagger?_ “Bae, you must show respect,” he pleaded.

She grinned mockingly, “Yes, Baelfire, listen to your father-”

“Regina,” Queen Snow White said, sighing. “This is not helping.”

“Sure it is,” she said, walking towards them like a wolf eyeing a sheep. “I’m trying to snap him out of it. I just insulted your boy, Rumple, what are you going to do about it?”

Terrified by the look in her eyes and the dagger in her hand, Rumple could do nothing but try to drag Bae away from her, but Bae was not having it. “D-do, Milady Regina?”

“It’s not ‘Milady’. It’s Queen Dowager or Your Majesty to you, peasant,” she spat, and he immediately lowered his gaze, even as he kept a tight grip on Bae’s coat.

“O-of course, Queen Dowager Regina.”

“Stop it, Regina,” the blue-eyed woman challenged, stepping between them. “Leave him alone.”

“Yes,” the light-haired man said. “I think you just proved that this is not working; we need to try something else.”

“Like what? Ask the Dark One? Oh, wait, we can’t!” Rumple let out a shaky breath. _Do they mean me or Zoso? Do they know I killed him?_ He shivered. He’d _killed_ a man, and with the very dagger the Dowager Queen was holding. _How much does she know?_

“I’m s-sorry,” he sputtered out.

“For what?” she asked imperiously.

“I…”

“You didn’t do anything, Papa,” Bae said, and the Queen Dowager scoffed. “I did. But it was the only way to save us.”

“Yes,” Queen Snow White agreed, taking her seat. “If Zelena had been allowed to keep the dagger, that would have been disastrous. Surely you can agree with that, Regina.”

“And how did she get the dagger in the place? What were you doing carrying it around?” she demanded, pointing it at Bae. Rumple tugged harder on his coat. 

“Come away, boy,” he hissed and was ignored.

“That doesn’t matter,” the blue-eyed woman said, stepping between them. “All that matters is helping Rumple get his memory back. And I’ll take that back now, if you please.” She held out a hand for the dagger, utterly unintimidated by the taller woman. Rumple admired her courage and felt a swell of gratitude for her intervention, even as he hoped that her demand would not provoke the Dowager Queen further. 

The Dowager Queen looked at the dagger and raised her eyebrows, “No,” she said, as if the request were ridiculous on its face. 

“It doesn’t belong to you,” the blue-eyed woman insisted.

“Doesn’t it? I’m the one who-”

“Give it back, Regina, or I’m taking it back,” Bae said, trying to take a step towards her, but Rumplestiltskin still had a hold of his coat, and he pulled him back.

“Bae, stop!”

“Papa, let me go.”

“No!”

“Regina,” Queen Snow White said with authority, “Give it back.”

“We don’t have time to argue about this,” the light-haired man seconded. Rumple glanced at the door, knowing he’d never be able to drag Bae through it even if he had had his staff. He turned back to the scene, refusing to relinquish his grip on his boy.

The blue-eyed woman hadn’t moved an inch, her hand still out to receive the dagger. Finding herself outnumbered, the Dowager Queen twisted her lips and finally said, “Fine.” She handed the twisted blade to the blue-eyed woman. “Careful,” she said mockingly, “I hear it’s dangerous.”

“Thank you,” the blue-eyed woman said tartly, tucking the dagger into her belt. “Now we can get back to the matter at hand: restoring Rumple’s memory.” _Can she do that?_

“And how do you propose to do that, bookworm?” the Dowager Queen demanded.

“With books, of course. Rumple’s collection is extensive; there must be something there about curse related memory loss.” _Books? My collection?_

The Queen Dowager actually seemed to consider that, and Queen Snow White took the opportunity to make introductions. “Rumplestiltskin, this is my husband, Prince David,” she said gesturing to the light-haired man, “This is August,” the dark-haired man waved briefly, “And that is Belle.” The blue-eyed woman smiled sadly at him and placed her hand on his.

“I’m your True Love.”

“W-what?” _What?_ That had to be a lie, some sort of cruel trick. It was simply not possible that he could have a True Love, especially one so young and courageous. 

He looked at Bae, his only anchor in this place. “It’s true, Papa,” he said quietly.

Rumple’s legs finally gave out, and he sat hard in the chair Belle had been trying to get him into earlier. “No… that… I don’t understand.” He shook his head, grabbing Bae’s hands in both of his. Surely, he was going mad.

“It’s all right,” Jiminy said, fluttering over to him. “You don’t have to understand. You’ve been through a terrible shock. I know we’ll get this sorted out in time.”

“Um,” August said, “Shouldn’t someone pick up Bae’s magical arsenal of badassery? I feel like that stuff probably shouldn’t just be lying around like that.” _Bae’s what?_

“Thank you for volunteering,” Bae said wryly. 

Prince David smirked, and August tossed up his hands. “Well, I guess I walked right into that one, didn’t I?”

Rumple tried to get up, “I-I can…”

Bae pushed him down into the chair. “You can sit. August will take care of it.”

“Yes, Rumple,” the Lady Belle said, and Rumple could only look away. Nothing made sense. Nothing except that, somehow, some way, Baelfire was safe. _Isn’t he?_

“Bae, the ogres, are they…?”

“They’ve retreated. It’s a very long story, but the ogres are dealt with for now; you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Yes,” Queen Show White said. “All our reports indicate that the ogres are in full retreat, and Robin Hood has informed us that it is thanks to you, Rumplestiltskin.” 

He blinked, smiling in nervous relief. “I did it?” he asked Bae. “I saved the children?”

Bae smiled sadly, sniffing again. “Yeah, Papa, you did.” _Then why is he so sad?_

The Queen Dowager sighed again, and Rumple watched her circumspectly. Dagger or no, she was clearly a dangerous woman and unhappy with him. “We don’t have time for this,” she delared, “By the time you have him caught up on the last three hundred years, Zelena could have turned half the Forest into flying monkeys!”

_Flying monkeys? THREE HUNDRED YEARS!?_ “T-three hundred…”

Bae sighed. “Yes, Papa, but we don’t have to talk about that right now.”

Rumple reached out and stroked the side of his boy’s face. He’d aged a year, two at most. _Three hundred years?_ “Bae, how are you…?”

“I’ll explain later,” he said wearily. Rumple blinked at him, helpless in his confusion. 

“So, um, Bae?” August asked, standing over a leather satchel and a pile of weaponry - _are those golden arrows?_ “None of this stuff is booby-trapped, right? It’s not going to turn me into a lizard if I touch it or anything?”

Bae huffed a laugh and answered, “No.” 

“OK.” The taller man began gathering up the items, making it perfectly apparent that he had no idea how to handle a weapon. 

He jumped when, as he was gathering up the satchel, Bae said, “But I wouldn’t drop that one if I were you.”

The satchel slipped a few inches before he caught it again, and he met Bae’s faint smirk with an annoyed glare, “Funny. What’s in it?”

“A crystal ball, among other things.”

“Am I correct in guessing that Rumple wasn’t using it to track Zelena?” the Queen Dowager asked. _That name again - who is Zelena?_

Bae looked at her. “Actually, he was planning on trading it to you, if necessary.”

“What would I want with a crystal ball? I have a dozen of them.”

“Not like this. This one can see people on Earth if they have magic of their own.” _Earth?_

She immediately stilled, then shrugged her shoulders. “So I could spy on Miss Swan? Why would I want to do that?”

“It can also see the Truest Believer,” Bae said. 

“That’s right,” Belle agreed, “Rumple tested it this morning.”

For the first time, something like vulnerability crossed the Queen Dowager’s face. “And what was he going to ask in exchange?” 

“He thought he might need it to get your cooperation with Malcolm,” Belle said.

And then there was that name. It couldn’t possibly be his father, just another man whose name happened to be Malcolm. _Right?_ The Queen Dowager laughed darkly and braced her hands on her hips. “Well, that hardly went according to plan. But I’ll tell you what, if it does what you say it does, I’ll help you get Rumple’s memory back in exchange for it.”

“And why should we trust you, after everything you’ve done to us?” the Lady Belle asked.

“I don’t know if you noticed, bookworm, but your boyfriend gave as good as he got-”

“But Belle didn’t,” Bae said. “You’re the one who dragged her into it.”

“Oh, like Rumple never used Henry against me!”

“He never did anything to Henry!” Belle objected. _Henry?_

“Stop!” Queen Snow White ordered. “Casting blame will not help our current situation.”

“I don’t trust her,” Belle said, “Especially in Rumple’s castle.” _Castle?_ “Nova can help me.”

“Because she knows so much about curses,” the Queen Dowager scoffed.

“Blue took Nova’s wings,” August told Lady Belle. “I don’t think she can get you back to the castle.”

“That’s true,” Queen Snow White said, “Regina may be the only one who can.”

Lady Belle scowled furiously. “Fine. The ball for taking us back. But you’re not to go near Rumple’s collection.” Queen Snow White had given her no title, but Rumple thought that Belle must be a Queen herself to speak to Regina like that.

“Can the castle even function without Papa’s magic?” Bae asked. 

“That’s a good question,” the Queen Dowager said. “You wouldn’t happen to have any other prisoners would you? They could be causing havoc at this very moment.”

“They’re not prisoners. And Robin Hood and his men sheltered in the castle during the curse; I’m sure they’re fine,” the Lady Belle said. _Prisoners?_

Bae did not look convinced. The Queen Dowager only shrugged. “Fine. The ball in exchange for taking you three back. And if you’re wrong, you and your guests can be stranded in a crumbling castle all winter.”

“Belle,” Queen Snow White said, “Won’t you consider letting Regina help? She is the most qualified.” Rumple suddenly understood - _She’s a witch._ It was the only reasonable conclusion. Rumple tightened his grip on Bae.

Belle looked at Bae. He shook his head; he didn’t trust the witch either. “I’m sure Regina has plenty to do,” Bae said. “Just take us there, and if the castle is failing, take the Lost Boys back here with you.” 

“And you, Rumple, and the bookworm?”

“We’ll stay and figure out how to restore Rumple’s memory,” Lady Belle said.

The Queen Dowager stared at her, then extended her hand for the ball. Rumple held very still. “Let me see that it works,” she demanded.

“And if it does?” Bae asked. 

“Then you have a deal.”

Rumple watched covertly as the Dowager Queen gazed into the ball, and the tiny image of a young boy appeared. Her expression in that instant changed her completely. And it answered one question: Henry - this Truest Believer - was clearly her son, and they had been parted.

Now if Rumple could only make sense of everything else…

XxXxXxX

While the castle itself was not failing, certain enchantments were. The larder, for example, no longer filled itself. And the protection spells had collapsed. As Bae and Belle had been explaining to the Lost Boys what had happened, and offering them the choice to return with Regina, half a dozen flying monkeys had crashed through the windows into the Great Hall and attempted to loot the place. Regina had made quick work of them, but Papa had nearly had a panic attack then resolutely demanded that Regina take Bae with her, Wendy, and the Lost Boys when she returned to Mary Margret’s castle.

Regina had smugly pointed out that Bae was not included in the deal they’d made for the orb, and Papa had desperately offered her her pick of any item in the castle. After cruelly teasing Belle about the chipped teacup, she’d decided on her mother’s spell book, which Bae was not comfortable with her having, but Papa had agreed to before Bae or Belle could object. 

With much sniping and arguing - which had made Papa and the Lost Boys only more nervous - Belle had argued Regina into taking Papa as well. Only Belle and Tink would stay behind, looking for a cure for Papa’ memory. Bae wasn’t comfortable with that either, but Belle had made the point that Papa was vulnerable in this state, and Tink had rightfully pointed out that she knew far more about magic than Bae did (and that she refused to shelter under Regina’s roof).

They were now back at Regina’s (or was it Mary Margaret’s?) castle, and Bae just wanted it all to go away. At Mary Margaret’s request (she had asked Bae to call her Snow - he was going to have to get used to that), August and Archie had led Bae and his father to a guest room. Due to limited space - the castle right now was as much a refugee center as a palace - they would have to share one room with a single bed, but there was also a long, padded window seat, and it was calling his name.

Papa, too, seemed about ready to collapse from nerves - and, if Jiminy were correct, the strain of losing his magic. Bae helped him unlace the tall boots that he squinted at as if he could not understand why he would be wearing something so impractical and to shed his scaled, leather coat and vest. In only his shirt and trousers, he looked so much more like the spinner he’d been - and now was again.

“Thank you, Bae,” he said in that soft voice that Bae had missed more than anything and now hated just as much. It wasn’t fair. What was the point of everything they had struggled through only for Papa to forget it all? And it was all Bae’s fault. Why had he agreed to take the damned dagger? Why couldn’t he just get over those stupid dreams and trust that his father could keep the curse under control? He wondered if it had been a trap from the beginning; Pan had certainly given him enough nightmares in Neverland.

_Does it even matter?_

Papa was watching him with soulful eyes, and Bae realized he hadn’t answered him. “You’re welcome,” he said. “Lie down, now, Archie said you need to rest.”

“What about you?”

“I’m going to lie down too.”

“You look tired,” he said, cupping Bae’s cheek.

“I didn’t sleep well last night.”

Papa hugged him, wordless, and Bae tried to relax in his embrace. _Belle said she can fix this. We just have to hang on until then._

XxXxXxX

Hours after the others had left the Dark Castle, Tink found Belle crying up in Rumplestiltskin’s tower. Unsure what to do, Tink considered simply leaving her alone, but Belle noticed her there before she could make up her mind.

“I’m sorry,” she sniffed. “I’m being ridiculous.”

“No, you’re not,” Tink said. “He’s your True Love.” As difficult as it was to understand. “Of course you’re upset.”

“But I will find a way to bring him back; I know it. It’s only…”

“Yeah?”

“It never seems to end! I used to think that every new challenge was just an adventure, an opportunity to prove myself. But now… it’s unrelenting. I’m getting tired of it.” She wiped her eyes, blew her nose, and then tangled the handkerchief between her restless fingers. “My mother would be ashamed of me,” she muttered.

“For what?” Tink asked, “Being human? One thing I learned in Neverland, Belle - everybody has a breaking point.”

“But so many others have endured so much more…”

“Are you giving up?”

“What? No!”

“Are you taking out your pain on everyone around you?”

Belle blinked at her with watery eyes. “I hope not.”

“You’re not,” Tink assured her. “And that means that you are enduring. More than enduring, you’re doing everything anyone could in your situation, and if you need a good cry about it sometimes, so what? It means you still feel. Take it from me, Belle, you don’t want to stop feeling.”

Belle blew her nose again, then looked, contemplating, at the soggy mess of fabric in her lap. Finally, she looked up. “Thank you, Tink. You’re a good fairy.”

That wasn’t something Tink had ever expected to hear. She hadn’t been a good fairy, even when she’d been a whole one; the debacle with Regina proved that. She was suddenly very aware of the wand in her pocket.

Tink rolled her shoulders. “Come, on; let’s get back to work.”

XxXxXxX

“What do you know about Zelena?” Regina asked Maleficent.

Mal looked at her curiously. “Never heard of her. Who is she?”

“My half sister, or so she says,” Regina said. “Rumple too.”

“Sister? My, my. It’s possible, I suppose; Cora did have her secrets. Or was it your father?”

Regina glared. “My father would never do that.” But her mother would. And had, with Rumple of all people. If Zelena hadn’t touched him like an over-eager lover, Regina would have wondered if he were the father. She was certainly powerful enough. “You’ve really never heard of her?” 

“No. Perhaps this new crystal ball of yours can shed some light on it, but first,” she held out her hand. “I want to see my daughter.”

“Do you know if she has magic?”

“She was hatched from an egg; I’m quite certain that she does,” Mal said wryly.

She did. Regina ignored Mal’s glare and peered into the ball as she activated it, revealing a young, brunette woman in a run-down apartment. Maleficent could not hide the pain in her face, but Regina didn’t comment on it; it was something they had in common now.

_Wait a minute…_ “Is that a map of Maine?” Regina asked, peering at the wall the woman was examining. 

Mal grinned. “Yes. She’s looking for Storybrooke. That means she _knows._ ”

“How?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps she felt my presence, like I did hers. Or perhaps someone told her.”

“Who?”

“I’m not sure, but there are a couple of possibilities.” The image shifted, revealing Ursula, of all people, in an even tinier apartment, feeding an aquarium of fish.

Regina gaped. “That’s where she went? I thought she took Cruella and outran the curse.”

The image shifted again, revealing Cruella, draped in furs and- “Good lord!” Regina looked away. “I did not need to see that!”

Mal chuckled. “Well, it looks like dear Cruella is comfortable at least. I was never quite sure if they were taken along with her or of they just ran from me after they lost her. I suppose that answers that.”

“How did they even get there anyway? If getting to Earth were so easy, Rumple wouldn’t have needed my curse.”

“Someone found a way to influence the Apprentice.” She was gazing into the ball again, watching her daughter type something on an old laptop.

Regina gaped. “How?”

“I’m not certain. But the magic left behind was warped and unnatural. The important thing is that we know he can send us there.”

“If we can find him. I tried that thing already,” she said, gesturing to the orb, “He’s shielded from it.”

“I would expect as much. Now what about this Zelena person?” One more shift, and Zelena was now pacing up and down inside the orb, ranting at a flock of flying monkeys. Her palace was a garishly green as the rest of her.

“Oz,” Maleficent said. “That’s right, there was a witch there. Ousted Glinda and her two sisters, and that strange, little man that insisted on calling himself a wizard.”

“My sister, the Wicked Witch of Oz,” Regina muttered. “She doesn’t look a thing like me. Or mother.”

“Well, you said she has a different father,” Mal said. “That explains why Cora would have shuffled her off to Oz.” That was true. Regina was the daughter of royalty and had never truly been enough. A bastard child? Cora would never have tolerated that. 

“If it matters, I can take a hair from her, determine of she’s from your bloodline,” Mal offered.

“Don’t you have any leads on the Apprentice?”

“My best lead is Blue. I’ve never been able to force her on anything before, but loosing the faith of Snow White and her kingdom must have weakened her.”

“Then do that. Whoever Zelena is, she’s not distracting me for trying to get back to Henry.

“And if she attacks again?”

Regina grinned. “Then I’ll destroy her, of course.”

Mal cackled.

XxXxXxX

“Here we are!” Wendy called, entering the room Rumplestiltskin shared with Bae. She carried a tray with their breakfast, as she had done for the last three days. Rumple still had no idea what to make of this new world where he had once been the Dark One, or most of the many, strange people he’d encountered, but Wendy had a simple kindness (and standing friendship with Bae) that reminded him of Morraine. 

“I’m afraid it’s apples and eggs again; they’re rationing the flour as much as they can,” she said.

Apples and eggs were a heartier breakfast than Bae and Rumple usually had back in the Frontlands (especially Rumple, as he would often give Bae his share if there wasn’t enough for two), and he could not complain.

Bae only shrugged, getting up to help Wendy with the tray. “How were the Lost Boys this morning?”

“Great! Sir Gaston has returned from his hunt, and they’re helping him dress the game.” Wendy wrinkled her nose. “I didn’t think chimeras would smell that bad when they were freshly dead. I know they don’t taste very good, but it stank, truly.”

Bae laughed. “That’s what August said.” Among the endless cavalcade of baffling, new people, Jiminy and his ribald assistant were a remarkable pair. As different as day and night, they were both apparently good friends with Bae, and, along with Wendy, the only inhabitants of the castle who treated Rumple as nothing more than an ordinary man.

“Will he and Jiminy visit today, do you think?” Rumple asked Bae. 

“Jiminy said they would,” Bae said. “August’s father, Marco, might be coming too.” 

Rumple was relieved. He was not blind. He knew there were specific things about his time as the Dark One that Bae was not telling him, reasons that they were subjected to daily visits from one of the royals asking if Rumple remembered anything. Reasons that, while they had been told that they were welcome to move about the castle freely, Rumple sill felt like a prisoner. Jiminy’s calm council and August’s easy (though sometimes lewd) humor were a welcome, if baffling, relief from the feeling of being constantly watched - and found wanting.

The Dowager Queen was the worst, of course. She seemed to take great delight in tormenting him, such as explaining that the coat he now wore was made of dragon skin (Rumple had nearly dropped to the floor when she had told him that, eyes reflexively looking skywards as if the aforementioned dragon might be back any moment to reclaim what was his), and hinting that, in his time as the Dark One, he had done terrible, terrible things. The worst part was that he knew, from the way Bae looked away, that she was telling the truth. He knew he had murdered once; had he murdered again? Who? And how many? Rumple knew that he should ask he what he had done, confront the price he’d made others pay to keep his boy safe ( _for three hundred years!_ ), but he was too much of a coward.

He took the worst of the apples off the tray and bit into it. He thought of the Lady Belle and Tinker Bell all alone in that enchanted castle he could not imagine being his. He worried for them. He worried that they would fail in their quest. And he worried that they would succeed.

XxXxXxX

Belle huffed and closed yet another unhelpful book firmly. She felt like hurling it across the room, but she could never bring herself to mistreat a book like that. She picked up a candlestick and threw that instead.

“No luck?” Tink asked, unfazed by Belle’s outburst.

“No! Nothing here applies to Rumple’s situation. He didn’t lose he memory because he was cursed, he lost it because his curse was broken!”

Tink titled her head to the side. “Are you certain that it was broken completely?”

“What do you mean?” Belle asked desperately. 

“There is no curse like the curse of the Dark One. You’ve told me that you almost broke it before. If True Love’s Kiss can almost break it, perhaps it can partially break it? What if something else is required?”

“Like what? Rumple and all my books have always said that True Love’s Kiss can break any curse.”

“But you’re his True Love; it wasn’t your kiss.”

Belle glared. “He loves Baelfire with everything in his heart.”

“But he shares his heart with you as well. Perhaps he needs you both to Kiss him.”

“Do you think so?” It was her first ray of hope in days. And she _missed_ him. Him and Baelfire; they were her family now.

“It’s worth a shot.”

“Yes! But how do we get to Regina’s castle?”

Tink bit her lip. “I might have an idea.”

XxXxXxX

“What’s that?” Ace called out, pointing up. Gaston immediately drew his bow, prepared for anything from a dragon to those flying monkeys that everyone was gossiping about. But it was not a beast he saw.

“Hands on your weapons, boys,” he said, spotting, instead of an animal, two figures seated on a flying carpet. “They could be friend or foe.” 

The boys did as he said, Curly and the twins also disappearing into the trees. He’d been impressed with the so-called Lost Boys. They were skilled beyond most boys their age, and took orders well. He’d often wished for sons of his own. He’d always imagined them something like this.

The carpet swooped lower, and he saw that both riders were women. The brunette shrieked with laughter, and as the carpet approached them, Gaston realized it was, “Belle?”

“Gaston!” He suspected that she would have waved if she had not been clinging so tightly to the carpet under her.

“Belle!” Curly cried, scampering out from behind his tree. The other boys followed suit, enthusiastically gathering around as the carpet tried to land.

“Back up, boys! Give them room!”

They did, only to rush in again as Belle and her blonde companion stepped off the carpet.”

“Hey, Tink!” Pockets told the blonde, “We dressed a chimera!”

“In what?” she asked teasingly. LeFou and the boys laughed.

“You’re the one who killed it, I assume?” Belle asked Gaston. He nodded.

“Yes. We need to keep the roads as safe as possible, as the refugees leave the castle and spread out over the kingdom. And they require supplies for the journey.”

“Will you return to Avonlea after the refugees are settled?”

“No,” he said simply. “Our swords are pledged to Queen Snow and Prince David now.”

She nodded. “The kingdom is lucky to have you.” She turned to the boys. “Can any of you take me to Rumplestiltskin?”

“You have a solution?” Dowager Queen Regina asked from behind them. Gaston had not heard her arrive. She must have used magic; it was unsettling.

“I have an idea,” Belle said, her tone cold.

“What is it?” The Queen demanded.

“I don’t have to explain myself to you. Just tell me where Rumple is if you want him to tell you what he knows about Zelena.”

The queen huffed, but said, “Fine. Follow me; we’ll see if you’re as smart as you think you are.”

Belle glared at her furiously, but then smiled at Gaston and the boys. “We’ll come by and visit you later, all right?” she asked them.

Tootles nodded happily, “Yeah!”

“Good luck, Belle,” Gaston said. For all he did not understand her relationship with the Dark One, even he could see that Rumplestiltskin had her heart.

“Good luck!” Toodles echoed.

“Thank you.” Belle smiled and followed the Queen, the blonde - Tink - trailing after, the magic carpet rolled up under her arm.

Gaston turned back to his lesson. “Now, boys, when hunting chimera…”


	9. Grasping at Straws

Regina was as unpleasant as always, and Belle was close to losing her temper by the time they reached the room Rumple and Bae were sharing. She narrowed her eyes when Regina simply barged right in without knocking. “I hope you’re in here,” Regina announced rudely, and Belle’s heart ached at the way Rumple scrambled to his feet and ducked his head. She’d been hoping that his earlier timidity had simply been the result of waking up in a strange time and place. It seemed not. _What must his life have been like before, to make him like this?_

“Queen Dowager Regina. Lady Belle. Tinker Bell.” He bowed to each of them in turn, and Belle only wanted to throw her arms around him and hold him until he didn’t look so wretchedly afraid anymore, but with the way he shied away from her, she knew that she would only scare the life out of him if she did that.

“Do you have a cure?” Bae asked eagerly. 

“Perhaps,” Belle said, taking a step towards her love. “Rumple?”

His head remained bowed, and his hands gripped his staff tightly. “Yes, Milady?”

“Please call me Belle, I told you that before.”

“I’m sorry, Milady Belle.”

Regina snickered. “You know, I might miss this.”

Belle glared at her, and Tink rolled her eyes, disgusted. Regina only smirked. Fuming, Belle turned back to Rumple. “Rumple, will you let me kiss you?” she asked as mildly as she could.

“K-kiss me?” He stuttered, his head snapping up, his eyes as wide as teacups.

She took another step forward and reached for his hand, but he only recoiled, nearly tripping over himself. He was a mess of nerves, and it was breaking her heart. “Papa, it’s OK,” Baelfire said, coming up to him and putting his hand on Rumple’s trembling shoulder. “You can trust her.”

“What’s this kiss going to do? He’s already been Kissed; that’s why we’re here,” Regina groused.

“It’s worth a try,” Tink said. “There’s never been a curse like this.”

“C-curse? You think… this might restore my memories?” Rumple asked her, his tone naive and hopeful.

“It might,” Belle said. 

“How?”

“Because I’m your True Love,” she said. She’d told him that before, but he hadn’t believed her.

He still didn’t. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Milady Belle, there must be some kind of mistake. You can’t be…”

She took another step forward, and he pulled his staff closer to himself but did not step back. “I am,” she said. 

“She is, Papa,” Bae assured him, but Rumple only shook his head again.

“Milady, I’m sorry…”

She took his hand, and he stilled like frightened rabbit, too terrified to move. She couldn’t bear to see him this way another moment. “Rumple, please. Let me try?”

His body still frozen, he nodded once, the movement small and jerky. “A- as you wish, Milady.”

He didn’t close his eyes as she stepped closer, so she did, hoping with all her might that when she opened them, she’d be looking into the eyes of the man that loved her.

Her wish was not granted. 

Desperate, and hungry for his kiss, she’d pressed too long, and he pulled back suddenly, whimpering low in his throat. “I’m s-sorry, Milady.”

“God, damn it!” Regina huffed, and Rumple jumped as she disappeared in a fury. He took another, hasty, step back, and Bae had to reach out and steady him.

“Papa, it’s OK.”

_No, no it’s not._ “E-excuse me.” It was not that Belle considered herself an exceptionally brave person, but she’d always been able to drum up at least enough courage and hope to not run away from her problems. Until today. Heart breaking and eyes stinging, she ran.

XxXxXxX

“Lady Belle?” Rumplestiltskin called after her, but the woman who called herself his ‘true love’ had already fled the room. Overwhelmed, he looked at Bae. “I’m sorry,” he said again. “I’m sorry I don’t remember, Bae.”

Bae just looked at him sadly and hugged him around the shoulders. “It’s all right, Papa. It’s not your fault.”

_Isn’t it? What did I do that led us here?_ He was afraid to ask.

“I’ll go talk to her,” Tinker Bell said. “This whole thing was my idea.”

“T-thank you,” Rumple stuttered, still unsure how one was supposed to address a fallen fairy. Bae called her ‘Tink’, but Rumplestiltskin wasn’t about to do that.

“Bae?” Rumple asked after she had left, pulling away from his boy and sitting on the bed.

Bae followed him. “Yeah?”

“You know the Lady Belle?”

“Yeah.” Bae sat next to him. “She’s a very good person.”

He knew that she must be to have given him a second glance, but then how could such a good person be the love of the Dark One? “Why does she think she’s my…” He couldn’t even say it. She was nobility, and above him in every way. He imagined that she must have a noble father or dashing knight somewhere eager to cut him to pieces for daring to call her his ‘true love’, and if she did not, surely the gods themselves would punish him for such insolence?

But Bae knew what he meant. “True Love?” Rumple nodded. “Because she is. She almost broke your curse once before, but you didn’t let her because you needed your magic to find me. And because Regina tricked you into thinking Belle was working with her.”

Belle? Working for the terrifying Dowager Queen? How could he have believed such a thing? He shook his head. “It’s not possible. She’s…”

“Good. Patient. She… helps you be better.”

_Better?_ That could mean so many things, and yet Rumple could not imagine that any of them were so. “How did we meet?” he asked Bae. 

“You saved her kingdom from the Ogres. In return, you took her back to the Dark Castle to be your… caretaker.”

“For you?” Rumple asked, puzzled. Perhaps he could understand that. It was an outrageous thing to request of a noble lady, but Bae had said that she was learned. He had always wanted to give Bae more of an education than he’d been able to provide himself; he was sure that she must be an excellent tutor.

But Bae shook his head. “For the castle. She cleaned and cooked for you.”

Rumple gaped. “A _maid_?” He’d forced that kind, beautiful noblewoman to be his _maid_? “That’s…”

“Magic demands a price,” Bae said. “She accepted.” He looked away. “I would have too, if Zoso had offered to defeat the ogres for that.”

And Rumple could understand that too. He’d have done anything to save his boy from the ogres. And had, it seemed. Even forced a beautiful, young noblewoman into servitude. “She must be very brave,” he said. And good, as Bae had said, to sacrifice so much for her people.

“She is. She’ll figure this out, Papa, I know it.” 

“Yes.” And suddenly, he wanted his memories back fiercely. He’d been reluctant before, terrified of what dark deeds he might remember. But now, he wanted to remember. He wanted to remember _her._

XxXxXxX

Somehow, Belle ended up the library. She laughed wetly when she realized it; it figured that even in a strange castle, blinded by grief and tears, she would somehow be drawn to the library.

She hadn’t expected to find Nova there. “Nova!”

“Belle!” She smiled cheerfully, and Belle could not help but notice that she looked every inch a fairy godmother. The faded, brown fairy dress she’d been wearing when Belle had last seen her through Rumple’s crystal ball had been replaced with a practical, linen work dress in bright pink, over a vibrant orange chemise. She had solid-looking brown hiking boots on her feet, and the entire ensemble - dress, chemise, and boots - was embroidered with bright starflowers that sparkled with tiny, glass beads. Even wingless, she must have mastered her wand. Belle was happy for her, but her responding smile was broken with too much grief to hide. Nova immediately set down the book she was holding and hurried towards her. “What’s wrong?”

“Rumple... he still doesn’t remember me.”

“What? When did this happen? I’m sorry, Dreamy and I were scouting for a new site to mine; we just got back. What happened?” Nova pulled out a chair and Belle sat gratefully. Nova took a seat next to her and grasped her hand.

Belle told her everything, from Neverland to Zelena and then Rumple’s curse breaking and the loss of his memories. Finally, she described the failed kiss. As kind as Tinker Bell had been, Nova was the first real ‘girlfriend’ Belle had ever had. She understood her relationship with Rumple like no one else, and had accepted it without question from the beginning (even if Rumple himself had made her nervous at first). When she was finished with her story, Belle pulled out a handkerchief (a silk one Rumple had given to her after their return from Neverland), and wiped her eyes and nose. Nova squeezed her hand in concern.

“Of course I’ll help you however I can. I don’t really know curses, but Tinker Bell is right; there’s never been a curse like his. I wonder… I think I remember Dreamy telling me about a time Snow lost her memories. David’s kiss didn’t work at first either; they had to fall in love again, and then it worked.”

“That’s right! That story was in Henry’s Book!” But Belle’s hope sank as quickly as it had risen. “But I must have freighted him terribly. He nearly tried to run from me. He’s so different like this; what if he can’t love me this way?”

“I can’t believe that. You said he was such a kind man before, and he’s always loved Bae so much. His heart is now free of the darkness; it should be even easier for him to love you now.”

_But can I love him when all I see when I look at him now is how much I miss who he was?_ Belle shook he head. She couldn’t give up on him. She’d always known that under his curse, he was a lonely, frightened, kind-hearted soul. Now she was meeting that soul. How could she claim to love Rumple if she couldn’t love him like this? She clasped Nova’s hand. “Thank you.”

Nova smiled. “What are friends for?”

XxXxXxX

“Bloody hell,” Tinker Bell muttered.

She was lost in Regina’s labyrinth of a castle. If she had had something of Belle’s, she could have tried a tracking charm, but she didn’t. She’d passed several people, and knew that she should ask if any of them had seen Belle, but she had grown too used to fending for herself. Asking for help did not come naturally anymore.

But Belle was in trouble, and probably as lost as Tink was. In Regina’s castle. Tink had to get a grip. She heard footsteps and a man’s voice and followed the hallway towards it, nearly crashing into said man when she rounded the corner.

“Whoops, sorry!” the man said, steadying her with one hand. He had a half-eaten apple in the other. “You all right?”

“Yes. I’m looking for someone. Have you seen a petite woman with brown hair come through here?”

He shook his head, a smile teasing his lips. Tink was not in the mood for games. “Sorry, no,” he said.

Tink jumped when something green fluttered on his shoulder, and a familiar face suddenly appeared in front of her. “Jiminy Cricket?” she asked.

“Hello, Tinker Bell. Are you looking for Belle, perhaps?”

“Yes. Did she come this way?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“Did you try the library?” the dark-haired man asked, now frowning in concern.

Tink huffed. “I suppose that would be the logical place.” But, of course, she had no idea where it was. Tink didn’t suppose it helped that she’d spent very little of her life in large, human buildings.

“We’ve got a minute,” the man said. “I can show you.” He smiled again, and she gave him an unimpressed look. He was unfazed. “It’s this way. Apple?” he pulled a second apple out of his pocket and offered it to her. “I’m August, by the way.”

Tink shook her head at the apple, but took note of the name. She supposed it made sense, considering that he was with Jiminy. “Belle’s friend, August?”

He grinned at her. “You’ve heard of me?”

“Belle said that you helped her with the library. And the Dark One said you were chronically immature.” 

August laughed and started walking. “Well, they’re not wrong.”

“You’ve come a long way, August,” Jiminy said from his perch on August’s shoulder.

August actually turned back and winked at her. “Jiminy is perpetually optimistic.”

“Well, then, maybe he’s got some suggestions for how to fix Rumplestiltskin’s memory? My idea didn’t pan out.”

August frowned again. “Damn. I was hoping you were here because Belle had cracked it.”

“No. I suggested she try True Love’s Kiss, and well… it didn’t work.”

“Damn,” he said again. And really, that said it all, didn’t it?

They had made a few turns and taken a staircase in silence (except for August finishing his apple) before Tink asked, “Does it bother you, living in Regina’s castle?”

“Well,” August said, swallowing the last bite, “It’s better than out there with the ogres. And, technically, it’s not Regina’s castle. Snow annexed it back. Imminent domain… or something.”

“But Regina still lives here?”

“Where else would she go? Plus, with Rumplestiltskin out of commission, she’s pretty much our only defense against this Zelena person. Common enemies, and all that. You don’t happen to know anything about her, do you? We’ve figured out that she’s the Wicked Witch of Oz, but that’s pretty much it.”

Tink shook her head. “Belle said that she’s Regina’s sister?”

“That’s what she said, and Gold confirmed it, before he lost his memory.” 

Tink nodded. Regina’s background had already been steeped in darkness; that was why Tink had been so eager to help her. It seemed that that family tree had yielded more than one rotten fruit. “How do you know Regina won’t betray you?”

“I guess we don’t. But she’s behaved so far, took out those ogres and everything.” August smirked. “Then there’s that Robin Hood guy.”

“What Robin Hood guy?”

“He showed up a little before Zelena did. Said Belle had sent him to let us all know that Rumplestiltskin was taking care of the ogres. He and Regina have this Han-Leia love-hate thing going on.”

“Han-Leia?”

“Oh, that’s right - no curse. Han and Leia are characters from an… epic from Earth.”

“Ah.” Bae and Belle had been sharing many stories they had heard while on Earth (as well as stories from their time on Earth - it seemed that Blue had lied about nearly everything, including its lack of magic). “What happened to them?”

“They got married and had kids, according to the expanded universe.”

“Expanded universe?”

“The books that followed the movies. Did Bae tell you what a movie is?”

Tink nodded. “It’s like a play.”

“Pretty much. I’m not George Lucas, but I can give you a recap sometime. Here we are.” They rounded another corner, revealing a set of open double doors. As they had hoped, Belle was there, sitting at a table with Nova. She seemed to have calmed down, and, for a fairy with no wings, Nova looked… well, Tink didn’t think she’d ever seen Nova so sure of herself.

_Maybe getting away from Blue was exactly what she needed._

Nova greeted them enthusiastically, and explained her theory about the kiss. 

“That could be true,” Jiminy said, alighting on the table in front of Belle. “I remember when that happened to Snow; her entire personality changed. This isn’t the same circumstance, but it’s worth it to try. And perhaps just being with you will help him remember. He really has nothing connected to his life as the Dark One here, but he was the Dark One when he met you.”

Belle nodded, a damp handkerchief in her hands. “Have you to spoken to him? How has he been?”

“He’s been… adrift. I think anyone would be. Memory aside, what he needs to most right now is a friend.”

Belle nodded. “I can do that.”

XxXxXxX

Bae and Papa both looked up at the knock on the door. The Council had determined that one of the things the refugees sorely needed were packs to carry their supplies. Papa knew enough sewing to make simple ones out of canvas, and eager for something to do, he had offered his services. After Belle and Tink had left, he’d gazed forlornly at the door for a minute before getting back to work. One thing that never changed, Bae’s Papa could not stand to be idle.

“I’ll get it,” Bae said. At the very least, he knew it wasn’t Regina; she wouldn’t have knocked. Papa nodded but put his sewing aside to stand just behind him. Another thing that never changed, his Papa was overprotective.

It was Belle, with Archie and August. “C-come in,” Papa invited them.

Belle smiled at him and said, “Thank you.”

Archie (he’d said he didn’t mind if Bae used his Storybrooke name - he seemed to be one of the few who felt that way) launched himself off August’s shoulder, and landed on the bed, next to the pile of canvas. “How are the packs coming?” he asked Bae.

“We’ve finished two more since last night.”

“Very good; there’s another party scheduled to leave tomorrow.”

“We’ll have two more by then,” Papa said, his hands worrying his staff. He was turned towards Archie, but he was glancing at Belle from the corner of his eye.

“Excellent; you’ve both been a great help.”

“It’s the least we can do.”

“Well, we do appreciate it.”

Everything fell awkwardly silent until Papa, still keeping his distance from Belle, said, “Please, Milady, have a seat.”

She didn’t. “I want to apologize,” she blurted out instead.

Papa blinked at her. “Apologize?”

“For kissing you like that.”

Papa looked down at his feet. “I said that you could, Milady.”

“You agreed to let me kiss you, but I went further than I intended to, and I made you uncomfortable. I’m sorry.”

“It’s no matter,” he mumbled.

“Yes, it is,” she said. “You matter; your feelings matter. If I do anything else that makes you uncomfortable, please tell me.”

He blushed and adjusted his grip on his walking staff. “I did not mind it, Milady. Truly.”

August raised his eyebrows knowingly, but thankfully said nothing. After a moment, Bae broke the tension by asking after Tinker Bell. “She’s with Nova,” August said. “Catching up on fairy stuff.”

“Nova’s back?” Bae asked hopefully. “Did she and Leroy find anything?”

“One site that looks promising. I’m sure we’ll hear all about it at the meeting tonight. You guys in?”

“Yes,” Bae said immediately. Aside from the fact that he wanted to know anything Regina might have learned about Zelena, he wanted to get the hell out of this room. Papa had been reluctant to let him leave until now, but he couldn’t say ‘no’ if Mary Margaret wanted them at a Council meeting.

But he’d try. “Bae…” Papa said, his tone cautious.

“You should go, Rumple,” Belle said. “You’re very clever; you might have some good suggestions.”

Papa gaped at her. “No, no, that’s… no. I couldn’t… I’m not… I can’t…”

Bae was torn. He Papa had always been very clever, but fear crippled him, and made it difficult for him to see beyond whatever problem he was coping with at the time. And in in a meeting of royals (and Regina), he’d probably be too afraid of offending anyone to even pay attention to what was being said. “It’s all right,” Bae said, “You can stay here.”

“I don’t want you going alone,” he said immediately. 

“Then come,” Belle said. “We’re all going. No harm will come to you or Bae, Rumplestiltskin, I promise.”

He blinked at her again, and the expression of awe on his face was familiar. He’d seen his Papa look at Belle like that before, he realized, though not usually so openly. He’d been bitterly disappointed that their kiss earlier hadn’t worked, but perhaps there was some hope with Belle here after all. Something loosened in his chest when his Papa nodded and said, “Very well, Milady.”

Belle smiled and clapped her hands. Papa blushed deeper. _Please,_ Bae thought, _Please let this work._

XxXxXxX

Things changed after the Lady Belle returned from the Dark Castle. Everything was suddenly busier. Brighter. Rumple found himself dragged into the affairs of the Queen’s Council (and he wept openly with pride when Bae - along with the Lady Belle and Tinker Bell - was declared a member of that Council).

He was still very aware that something was wrong. Hostile glances followed him constantly, and, while kind, both the Prince and the Queen sometimes spoke to him as if he were somehow dangerous, somehow still bearing the power of the Dark One.

He was introduced to the fairy Nova and her dwarf companion, Grumpy. Grumpy more than lived up to his name, but Nova was sweet and bubbly, and appreciated the packs he and Baelfire were sewing for the refugees (and how odd it was to see a kingdom that cared for the welfare of peasants that had been displaced - refugees in the Frontlands were lucky not to be run out of every town they passed through due to lack of resources). He also met August’s father, Geppetto, and felt a certain measure of kinship with the soft-spoken woodcarver.

But at the center of it all was the Lady Belle. She was patient and kind, and somehow interested in what he had to say. The more he got to know her, the more he longed to remember her, and the more it broke his heart that he could not. Bae (and Jiminy) told him to have patience (and how odd it was to be counseled in patience by his impetuous boy), but each day he saw a little more sadness in her expression, a little more weariness in her eyes, and he knew that he was the cause.

He tried to learn more about her, but as always his cowardice got in the way. He could never forget that she was nobility and above him in every aspect. She constantly pled for him to be more casual with her, but he began to stutter at the mere thought. And then he felt terrible that he could not give her what she asked for, which only made it worse.

It did not help in the least that she spent so much time with other men. Younger, handsome, unmarried men. Brave knights, like Sirs Gaston and LeFou. Roguish heroes, Like Robin Hood and Little John. Well-traveled scholars like August (and Rumplestiltskin felt like the worst kind wretch to feel such jealousy for someone who had been nothing but welcoming towards him - who would he resent next, Geppetto? Jiminy?). Any of them would be a better match for her than a crippled, cowardly spinner, but every time he tried to tell her so, she would not hear of it.

“I love you,” she always said, “Only you.” He did not understand.

And when he told her so, she only smiled sadly and said, “You will.” He wanted to believe her. 

But he didn’t, and she was starting to realize it. 

XxXxXxX

“Stop that,” Belle told Rumple. “Don’t talk about yourself that way.” Nearly two weeks, and very little had changed between them. He was still so timid and always seemed to think the worst of himself. Every shred of strutting confidence he’d worn as the Dark One had disappeared with his curse, and she’d never realized before how much she’d taken it for granted. 

“I’m sorry, Milady.” His standard response. But he’d do it again tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that.

She couldn’t stand it. “You are not a coward. You’re a good man.”

“Milady, I…”

“And how many times do I have to ask you to call me Belle?”

“I’m sorry, Mil- Belle. I don’t mean to offend you-”

She sighed. “Oh, Rumple, you don’t _offend_ me… it hurts me to hear you talk about yourself like that.”

His expression went from fretful to utterly distressed. “I’m sorry, Mi- Belle.” Her heart was breaking. Every attempt she made to reach him only upset him more. 

Rumple before had been a labyrinth. Intriguing, ensnaring, as quick to anger as to apologize, and while he’d been known to speak ill of himself (neither ‘coward’ nor ‘monster’ were unfamiliar words from his lips), she’d always been able to redirect his focus.

But not now. Now, this pattern of self-loathing was so ingrained, he went right back to it the moment anyone but Bae challenged him on anything (with Bae, and only Bae, he was able to assert himself - it seemed that whatever else he was, he could never stop being Baelfire’s father). Wendy, Archie, Marco, August, and Nova seemed to navigate it just fine, but Belle was constantly triggering apologies and self-effacing comments. It was tearing her up.

And making her more than a little angry. Not at him, of course, but everyone who had hurt him to make him like this. His wife. His father. Zelena, for taking the dagger and causing this to happen. Reul Ghorm for allowing this sort of suffering to continue. 

And herself, for being unable to save him.

“You haven’t done anything wrong,” she said, standing up. She could tell from the way he blinked at her that he did not believe her. “I need to go see Snow about something,” she lied, “I’ll be back later, all right?” 

He swallowed but nodded. “Yes, M- Belle.”

Once more, she fled.

XxXxXxX

“What?” August asked vaguely. He was exhausted from spending day after day as Jiminy’s assistant (he’d forgotten that the concept of ‘weekend’ was foreign to the Enchanted Forest), and had finally worked up the courage to beg for the afternoon off (instead of just skipping out while Jiminy and his father were asleep - something he might have actually tried if they ever slept these days).

Jiminy had agreed without question, had even seemed surprised that it had taken him so long to ask, and August had immediately fled to the only place in the castle he knew where someone could lie around in the middle of the day without being disturbed - the library. He’d actually been dozing, (a book of maps open on his chest), when Belle had stormed in and slammed her hand down on the table.

Belle looked up when he spoke. She looked like hell. “Oh, August, I’m sorry. I’ll just…” She took a step back.

August still considered himself an asshole, but he wasn’t enough of one to let a friend run off when they were upset. “No, no, it’s fine.” He sat up, fighting a yawn. “What’s wrong?” If he’d been fully awake, he’d have realized what a stupid question that was.

“No, I’ve disturbed you; go back to sleep.”

“You sound like Gold,” he said, yawning again. That wasn’t the most accurate name to use, of course, but August wasn’t nearly with it enough to try pronouncing ‘Rumplestiltskin’, and while he’d been invited to call the man ‘Rumple’, it was just too weird (and, August thought, not a good habit to get into for when he regained his memories - powers or not, August did not want to piss of Gold).

“What? No, I don’t!”

“Yes, you do. It’s the middle of the day, we’re in the library, and you’re apologizing for waking me up. And you’ve been crying. Something happened with Gold didn’t it?”

She took another step back and wiped her eyes. “No. Nothing happened. That’s the problem. He won’t listen!”

“That doesn’t sound like him.” It really didn’t. The guy was basically a doormat now; it was sad. And kind of uncomfortable. He was revealing more about his past than August was sure Gold would want anyone to know; when he remembered everything, there was going to be hell to pay.

“Yes, it does,” she said bitterly. “No matter how often I tell him he isn’t a coward, he won’t hear it!”

_Oh, that._ This was going to get a lot more awkward than August was comfortable with. But Belle was his friend… “Do you want me to go get Jiminy? I think he’s the one to you need to talk to about this.”

“No,” she said, sitting heavily, “He has so much to do. I shouldn’t bother him.”

August sighed and took the chair next to her. “I promise, he won’t have a problem with it. This is what he does.”

She shook her head. “No; I know he’s very busy.” _Goddammit._

“Well… I’m no Jiminy, but maybe I could give it a shot?” The truth was, he did know, generally speaking, why Gold was the way he was. He knew his story, and Gold certainly wasn’t the first abandoned or abused person August had met who acted like he did. 

_He’s just the first who got superpowers and started killing people. And then forgot everything._

_Hell._

Belle wiped her eyes again. “He’s not like this with you and Jiminy; how do you do it?”

August raised an eyebrow. To his knowledge, Gold was ‘like that’ with him. “What do you mean?”

“Everything I say, it only drives him further away. I try to tell him he’s not a coward, and he just won’t hear it.”

“Well… as far as he knows, he is, isn’t he? I mean, the legal term is probably deserter, but ‘coward’ was the common word for what he did, wasn’t it?”

“He is not a coward!” she snapped. “He only wanted to get home to his son!”

August put his hands up. “Hey, I’ve got no problems with what he did; I’ve done worse. But what does he think? I get the feeling he has issues with what he did.”

“But he shouldn’t! He did nothing to be ashamed of!”

“But he thinks it is something to be ashamed of. So does everyone from where he comes from. Just telling him he’s wrong... it’s not going to work. He’s been conditioned to think this way-”

“I know that! That’s why this is so terrible!” She started sniffing again. She pulled out a handkerchief, which was good, because August didn’t have one on him. He still hadn’t adjusted to the lack of Kleenex.

“Of course it’s terrible, but it’s what he believes. It’s like…” a light blub went off, “It’s like with Emma. She couldn’t believe just because Henry and I asked her to, she had to see it for herself. And she had to have a reason.” He remembered getting angry with her that day in the woods when she couldn’t see that he was turning to wood. Looking back, he felt bad about it. It hadn’t been her fault that she couldn’t see what was happening to him; he’d been asking her to believe something that everything she knew should have said was impossible.

“But how do I show him, when he won’t let me in?” Oh, this was starting to sound too familiar.

“Well, maybe try… not pushing so much? It’s a lot to ask someone to believe that everything they ever knew was wrong. Plus you’re a noble, which I think is freaking him out.”

“I’m not a noble anymore,” she protested.

“Yeah, but I’m not sure that in Rumplestiltskin’s world, nobles can stop being nobles.” _Especially beautiful, young women that he has a thing for._

“I can’t change how I was raised,” she protested.

“Well… neither can he.”

She sniffed again. “I just want him back.”

“I get that; I really do. But the good news is there’s no deadline with this; you have as much time as you need.”

“Do I? How did you cope with this, August? Having you father not remember you?”

August sighed. “To tell you the truth, I avoided him. Jiminy too. The only reason I contacted my father at all before the curse broke was… well, Gold told me to actually. I’d thought I’d failed and was just… never mind; this is a different situation.”

“What did you say to him?”

“Nothing in particular; I just went along with whatever he said.”

“Even when he said he didn’t have a son?” August bit his lip.

“As far as he knew, he didn’t. So, yeah.” And it had hurt. But what would have contradicting him have accomplished?

“I see.” He hoped she did; he was out of his depth here, and he knew it.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to get Jiminy?

“No,” she said for the third time. “Thank you, August.” 

He sat with her a while. He was dangerously close to dozing off again when she asked. “How do I make him unafraid of me?”

“I… don’t know.” 

“He’s not afraid of you. Or Jiminy, or your father.”

“We’re commoners. And, you know, he’s not into us.”

She looked up. “You think he’s ‘into’ me?”

“Well, yeah. So does Bae; have you talked to him about this?” 

“No; I didn’t want to upset him.”

“I think he’s already upset; he misses Gold as much as you do.”

“Yes, of course,” she said sadly. 

August sighed. “Of course, being here probably isn’t helping. Regina aside, everything’s kind of nuts. That’s why I was hiding in here,” he said conspiratorially.

Belle nodded. “I seems like I can barely find time to speak to him; there’s so much to do.”

“Maybe that’s it; maybe you guys should get away for a while. Go on a date.”

“A date? He’s terrified of me.”

He smiled. “Aren’t most guys, of the girls they like? Ask Tink if you can borrow the magic carpet; it would be romantic.” Not exactly the right Disney movie, but close enough. Assuming Gold wasn’t afraid of heights. Which he probably was. _So much for that._

“Or you could dance, like you did in the castle,” Wendy said from the doorway. Bae was with her.

“There’s an idea,” August said. _Very Beauty and the Beast._

“How do you know about that?” Belle asked Wendy. Wendy and Bae exchanged sheepish looks.

“I was going to the library and heard the music. Bae was watching too,” she tattled. Bae gave her an indignant stare. Belle blushed.

“Was there a singing teapot?” August asked cheekily.

Wendy giggled. “No. But they were dressed up.”

Belle sighed, fondly exasperated. “You were supposed to be in bed. Both of you.”

“Dressed up how? Was Belle in a yellow dress?” August asked hopefully.

“Yes! With very full skirts! And Rumplestiltskin was in a very fine, blue coat.”

He grinned. “You cosplayed the Disney versions of yourselves?” he asked Belle. _That’s… adorable._ “You should definitely try that again.”

“Cosplay?” Wendy asked.

“I’ll explain later,” Bae said.

“Rumple won’t agree to that,” Belle objected, “Not like this.”

“Forget the cosplaying then. Maybe just get him out of the castle?”

“Regina hasn’t reported anything from Zelena in weeks,” Bae said. “I was looking for you; I think we should go back to the Dark Castle to try to find a cure. He can come with us.”

“Do you think it’s safe?”

“As safe as here,” Bae said. “He has a lot of enemies here, and the longer this goes on…”

Belle nodded. “But how do we get him to agree?”

“If I go, he’ll insist on coming,” Bae said. 

“And it’s his castle,” Wendy added, “Shouldn’t being around familiar things help?”

“Perhaps,” Belle said quietly. Where was eternally optimistic Belle? August missed her.

“This is a magical problem; there has to be a way for True Love to beat it. Even if it’s indirect, like with Frederick and the water from Lake Nostos,” Bae said.

She smiled at last, and reaching out to take Bae’s hand. “That’s right. Let’s go find Tink; we’ll need her magic carpet.”

“She’s helping Jiminy,” August said. “I’ll show you.”


	10. I Wish

Tink thought traveling to the Dark Castle was a good idea.

Papa didn’t. “Absolutely not,” he told Bae.

“Papa-”

“Bae, it’s not _safe_.”

“Nothing is safe!” Bae protested. “You have no idea… Papa, you can’t protect us if you don’t even remember who might come after us or why.” 

“Then tell me,” he said. It was the first time he had asked that directly. He’d spent three weeks in utter denial, and was only asking now because he had no choice. _We have to fix this._

“I can’t; I wasn’t there for a lot of it. I don’t know who Zelena is, but you do. _Only_ you do.”

“Bae,” he said, his expression twisting with fear again, “What happened? What did I do?”

Bae sighed. “I can’t even begin to start answering that. It was three hundred years, Papa. A lot happened. You need your memory back; it’s the only way you can protect me, and yourself.”

“Please, Rumple,” Belle pleaded. “This is the best way.”

He looked away. He still couldn’t stand up to anyone except Bae. He was a sitting duck like this. “Do you actually think this has any chance of working?” Regina asked, appearing suddenly. Papa jumped.

Belle glared. “Yes.”

“Well, then.” She snapped her fingers. Bae, Belle, Papa, and Tink spilled onto the floor of the Dark Castle’s great hall.

“Regina!” Belle shouted.

Bae grabbed Papa’s arms to help him up. “Well, that solves that,” Tink said matter-of-factly.

Papa swallowed. “Take us back, please.”

“I can’t; the magic carpet is still at Regina’s castle.”

“Can you enchant another one?”

“I could, but I won’t. Regina doesn’t want us there; trespassing on a witch’s territory is a very bad idea. I’m going to see if there’s anything edible left in the kitchen.”

“Wait, please!”

Tink shook her head, waved, and kept walking. Papa looked at Bae helplessly. “I only want to keep you safe,” he pleaded.

“I know, Papa; this is the best way to do that. Regina is keeping an eye on Zelena for now, but she can’t move against her unless she knows what you know.” In a blatant act of manipulation, Bae hugged him. Belle watched, unsure what to do next. She really had no idea how to speak to Papa when he was like this. And Papa had no idea how to speak to her either. “Come on, let’s take a walk around; maybe you’ll remember something,” Bae suggested.

Papa closed his eyes, defeated. “All right.” Bae was grateful for Regina’s little intervention, but at the same time, he wanted to punch her; her attitude hadn’t done a damn thing to help his father adjust.

“Come on,” Bae said again, “Let’s start with the library.”

XxXxXxX

Rumplestiltskin could not believe that this castle and everything in it was truly his. He’d been far too overwhelmed to take it in the last time he was here, but as Bae (and the Lady Belle) gave him a tour around, the sheer extravagance of it made him dizzy.

The library was enormous, full of valuable books, and the furnishings were draped in brocade and gold. There were rooms upon rooms of magical artifacts, and his bedroom… this castle made Queen Snow’s palace look like a country inn. _And it’s mine._

It was too much. He sat on the bed and waited for it to swallow him whole. “Papa?” Bae asked in concern. Like the magical bow he now carried and the rich clothing he wore, Bae paid the luxury of this place little mind. His bedroom was filled with everything Rumple could ever have dreamed of giving him, and all he cared about was making Rumple remember.

He _wanted_ to remember. He wanted to remember giving his boy this. He wanted to remember meeting Lady Belle, and the love they supposedly shared in this place. “I’m sorry, Bae,” he said. “I don’t remember any of this.”

“Then let’s go back to the library; there must be answers there.”

“All right,” he agreed, as intimidating as it was. He could barely read, but even that was an accomplishment in a village the size of his. He’d been proud to teach his boy what he knew. _What has he learned since then?_

A great deal, it seemed. Bae breezed through the books Belle wanted them to look through, while Rumple limped along, trying to keep up. Of course, neither one of them could hold a candle to Lady Belle; she was amazing. “You read many languages?” he asked hesitantly. She looked at him. He turned away. “It’s only… I can see the titles. They’re not…”

“No, you’re right,” she said, her voice kind. “I love to read. Learning new languages means I can read more.”

“I see. How many…?”

She blinked. “Oh. Let me see. Common, of course. Agrabanian. Elvish…” she listed off ten languages in total, most Rumple had never even heard of. He was awed. And embarrassed. He could barely read the only language he knew. _How can she be my True Love? We have nothing in common._ “Of course,” she said suddenly, “You know many more.”

“More?”

“Languages.”

“Me?”

“Yes. You’re very learned, Rumple.”

“No, I…” He looked at Bae.

His boy nodded. “You are, although I think part of that was the curse. You knew things right after you became the Dark One that you couldn’t possibly have known before.”

“Oh.” He didn’t know what to say to that. Perhaps that was how he’d wooed Lady Belle before; he thought that she might be impressed by a man who could read many languages. _But…_ “It was the curse? So I won’t remember, even if I remember the rest.” It was best that she knew that now. It wasn’t fair for her to work so hard to help him remember when he could never again be the man she fell in love with.

“I’m not sure it works that way,” Lady Belle said. “Your curse told you some things, yes, but you also had to learn a lot. And who’s to say you won’t remember everything it told you?”

“I… You’ve been so kind. I don’t want you to be…”

“Be what?”

“Disappointed.” He almost whispered it, ashamed even to say it.

And she looked so sad. “Oh, Rumple, I could never be disappointed with you. I love you.”

He shook his head. “You can’t possibly…”

“Yes, I can. I do. I love you. All of you.”

He didn’t understand. _How? How can it be true?_ And he didn’t know what to say, when the truth only seemed to upset her. Bae, bless him, stepped in. “I’m hungry. Papa, do you want to help me find something for dinner?”

“Yes.” He hastily shoved his book aside and got to his feet. His familiar, worn staff was incongruous with the luxury all around them. 

“All right,” Belle said sadly. “I’ll be down shortly.”

“OK,” Bae said. “Come on, Papa.” He did, steadfastly ignoring the broken-hearted stare that followed him out of the room.

XxXxXxX

Belle’s research yielded nothing in the following days. The only thing they learned was that Bae’s nightmares had been caused by an enchanted arrow that had been left under his bed; it had to have been Zelena. Losing faith that she would ever find the cure for Rumple’s memory in a book, and more aware than ever that time was running short, Belle started pursuing August’s suggestion, with Tink and Bae’s willing assistance.

The problem, as she had predicted, was that Rumple was wary of spending any time around her, especially alone. “I’m sorry, Mil- Belle. I don’t think… it’s not appropriate.”

_It is; you’re my True Love!_ But she’d learned by now that saying so would get her nowhere. “This is making you uncomfortable,” was all she said.

“I’m sorry, Milady.”

She sighed. “Don’t be sorry; it’s not your fault. I’m going… I’m going to see if I missed any books in the tower that might be useful.”

“V…very good, Milady. Belle.”

She’d made it three steps before he asked. “May I… may I escort you?”

She looked over her shoulder. His hands were worrying at his staff the way she now expected them to, but was that hope in his expression? She managed to smile. “Yes, you may.”

XxXxXxX

Tink knew she was jaded. You didn’t spend well over thirty years in Neverland without becoming jaded. But even she had to admit that seeing Rumplestiltskin thaw towards Belle after weeks of fruitless research and failed courtship warmed her a little inside.

They were currently taking turns peeking at each other over the tops of their respective books. Belle was a least managing to read as well (although at less then half of her usual lightning speed), but Rumplestiltskin hadn’t turned a page for at least twenty minutes. Tink was enjoying the show so much that she very nearly missed the jumbled paragraph in her own book. “Bloody hell,” she said, “I think I found it.”

They all looked at her, and Belle jumped to her feet. “Let me see.”

Tink handed her the book. “Here,” she said, pointing to the paragraph.

A brilliant grin slid across Belle’s face as she read. “This is it,” she said, looking up. “All we need is an object that touched Rumple before he was the Dark One.” She immediately looked over at his walking staff.

“You… you’re certain?” he asked, clutching the staff. But his eyes displayed the hope that hadn’t quite made it into his tone.

She nodded. “This spell restores the health someone had before they were cursed, providing the curse itself is broken; it’s exactly what we need.”

“And you can cast it?” he asked Tink.

“I could,” she said, “But it would be best if Bae or Belle did. The more the caster wants it, the more powerful the spell.”

Rumplestiltskin looked at Bae. Bae shook his head. “Belle should do it. She… knows more about magic than I do.”

She suddenly looked doubtful. “Are you sure? I couldn’t do it before.”

“You couldn’t do it before because my theory was wrong,” Tink said. “It was my fault. You can do this.”

“Belle, please,” Bae said, and Tink thought those puppy eyes out to have been locked up in the armory with the rest of the weapons.

Belle took a deep breath. “All right. Rumple, are you ready?”

“Ready… now?”

“Yes,” she replied nervously. The spell certainly wouldn’t work without Rumplestiltskin’s cooperation, but Tink had thought he was eager to get his memory back.

Apparently, he was. He let out a shaky breath and gave her a hopeful smile. “All right.”

XxXxXxX

Rumplestiltskin watched the staff Belle was holding over him with some trepidation. His previous experiences with magic had done little to relieve his anxiety on the subject, even as it also fascinated him. Magic had saved Bae’s life twice now, after all, but there was always a price, sometimes beyond what you thought you were paying (in his darker moments, Rumple sometimes wondered if losing Milah had been part of the price he’d paid for saving Bae from the snakebite that had threatened his life just a few months before). Rumplestiltskin feared remembering just what price he’d paid to save Bae from the ogres.

But he would also remember Belle, and the joy of providing his son with everything he’d always wished for him. He’d remember centuries of knowledge, and the feeling of being able to protect his boy from any threat. He’d have been the worst kind of coward not to allow this. 

“Ready?” she asked him.

He could only nod. He watched as she closed her eyes. It was a silent spell, apparently. She didn’t say a thing, but the staff suddenly crumbled to dust in her hand, and he gasped, nearly three centuries of memories crashing over him like tsunami.

_“We had a deal!”_

_“What did you do, nail them down?”_

_“Papa, no!”_

It would have been utterly disorienting if it had not also been familiar.

_“Emma. What a pretty name.”_

He latched on to his memories of the Savior, following their thread to anchor him. They were significant but not very personal, and by the time he got to the goodbye at the town line, he was able to open his eyes calmly.

“Papa?” Bae asked. Rumplestiltskin sat up, placing his hand on Bae’s.

“I remember. I’m so sorry-“

Bae smiled tremulously. “Enough of that. It’s over; we’re here now.”

“Yes.” He looked over at Belle. “Sweetheart-”

She pounced on him, nearly knocking off the settee. He smiled under her kiss, and returned it with equal fervor. “I love you,” he whispered when she came up for air. “Belle, I’m so sor-”

“Stop!” she said, laughing. “It’s over; you’re back now.”

“Yes. Yes, I am.” She kissed him again, then sat back, mindful of his ankle. He looked at it, the fact that he’d lost his power finally registering. _What do we do now?_

“So,” Tinker Bell said, leaning against the wall and trying (unsuccessfully) to look unimpressed, “You remember everything?”

“Yes.” Zelena suddenly popped into his mind and he shivered. Regina had to defeat her, and soon. “I have the information Regina requires. There are some things I’d like to gather, and then I can teach you how to walk through mirrors.”

“Sounds fair,” the fairy replied.

XxXxXxX

“How are you today, your Highness?”

Regina sneered. Flambé a few ogres, turn your castle over to Snow White, and suddenly rugged outlaws thought you were dating material. She’d only been nice to Robin Hood’s little boy because he reminded her of Henry, and now the thief wouldn’t leave her alone. He wasn’t half as charming or handsome as he thought he was. Not at all.

“Fine, until I got waylaid by an outlaw,” she snapped back.

He only smiled. “Oh? Where is this villain? I’ll have a word with him.”

“Look, scruffy-” Something was wrong. Someone was attempting a transportation spell on her mirrors. “I don’t have time for you today,” she said dismissively (not regretfully, and don’t you dare imply otherwise), and disappeared, reappearing in her receiving hall. She pulled the curtain back on her mirror just it time for the green fairy to come tumbling through.

“Please tell me you have a reason to be invading my mirror,” she said dryly. She didn’t offer her a hand up.

“Yes,” Tinker Bell huffed, staggering to her feet. “We’ve restored Rumplestiltskin’s memory.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. Back up, so I can help them through the mirror.” Regina just snapped her fingers, and Rumple, the maid, and his kid toppled onto the floor.

“Still as petty as always, Regina,” Rumple groused, and she was surprised to find that she’d missed her old mentor is some strange way. If nothing else, she didn’t have to watch her tongue with him, like she did with Snow’s legion of idiots.

“You’re looking rather worn, Rumple. Still powerless, I see.”

“Hardly,” he bluffed skillfully, but the cane in his hand proved the truth. “I suggest you gather the Council; Zelena is a problem I’d like to have dealt with sooner rather than later.”

_Finally!_ “So you do remember her?”

The look of disgust on his face made her grin. “Certainly. I woman that unbalanced is hard to forget.”

Regina cackled. “I knew it! I’ll get Snow and Charming; see if you can limp your way up there before she strikes again.” The bookworm glared at her, and Rumple rolled his eyes as she disappeared.

XxXxXxX

“What can you tell us?” Snow asked Rumplestiltskin eagerly. David was relieved that they were finally moving forward with this. Snow had started talking about wanting another baby, but after last time, David could not bear to try again with yet another witch dogging their path.

“A fair bit; I’ll begin at the beginning,” the former Dark One drawled. There was a familiarity to his arrogance that David had missed; he’d found his freighted peasant persona to be both pitiable and deeply unsettling. “Zelena is indeed Cora’s daughter. Her oldest, to be specific. Cora wasn’t married at the time, and a baby would have interfered with her ambition to become royalty, so she abandoned her to Oz.”

“That’s terrible,” Snow said.

“Well, we are talking about Cora here.”

“Who was the father?” Regina asked.

“A gardener with enough wit to convince her he was a prince. At least until he got what he wanted.” Regina went very still.

“Go on.”

“I had no idea Zelena even existed until I found her rifling through your chambers-”

“What! When?”

“Just after I started training you. She envied everything you had, including magical instruction.” 

“From you,” Regina said flatly.

“Yes. I had known for years that Cora’s daughter would cast my curse, but after Zelena appeared, I realized that I didn’t know which one.”

“Wait, your visions are that vague?” Regina asked, incredulous.

“Of course they are. Few events are immutable, and if I had had a complete vision of the future, I’d have seen the dozen other ways I could have found Baelfire that Reul Ghorm hid from me.”

“Well isn’t that convenient.”

“Yes,” August said, “It is. Have you had any visions recently?”

“No. I haven’t had a vision since the curse was cast, nor any visions that pertained to anything after the curse was broken. We’re off script, dearies,” Rumplestiltskin said dryly.

“I don’t believe you,” Regina said accusingly. “You saw everything you needed to to find your son, but nothing after that?”

“I do believe him,” August said, his tone uncharacteristically serious. 

“Why?” David asked. 

“Because, back in Storybrooke, Emma and I confronted Blue about how she knew what was going to happen with the curse. She mentioned his visions, said they were stolen from a seer?” August looked at Rumplestiltskin, who nodded once. “Then she started talking about gods and the Fates. I think his visions were part of it, Blue’s plan. Like Regina said, they were convenient. Too convenient.”

“That has occurred to me as well,” Rumplestiltskin said, his expression dark.

“Hell,” Grumpy muttered.

Regina huffed. “So why didn’t Zelena end up casting the curse?” she asked, getting back to the matter at hand. “Did she see through you?”

Rumplestiltskin grimaced. “The opposite, in fact. She wanted to cast it for me. So much so that she tried to kill you in order to ensure she would be chosen. But she was unsuitable.”

“Why?” Regina asked suspiciously.

“Because she had begun to fall in love with me.” Belle looked at him sharply.

“You mean… she would have had to use your heart?” she asked.

“Exactly. She loved no one else. When I realized that it could not be her, I dropped her as a student. She was not best pleased.”

“And I’m sure you were oh so nice about it,” Regina said.

“I was blunt,” he admitted, “But not deliberately cruel. But she is irrational. Do you understand, Regina, that she knew what Cora and I were doing to you and was _jealous_ of it?”

“That’s insane,” she said.

“That is what I am attempting to explain to you.”

“Are you telling us that she cannot distinguish fantasy from reality?” Jiminy asked.  
“That she doesn’t understand what she’s doing is wrong?”

“No,” Rumplestiltskin said, “More that she choses to deny realities she finds inconvenient. And she is well aware of what she’s doing.” 

“Then she’s not insane.”

“Does it matter what the word is?” Regina asked. “The question is: what does she want, and how do we stop her?”

“Thirty years ago, she wanted your life,” Rumplestiltskin said, “Now? She may still, or she may just want revenge. In any case, there’s someone who can give you clearer answers than I.”

“Who?”

“Glinda.”

“Glinda - how do you know she can help?” Snow asked.

“Because when Zelena took over Oz, she went to great pains to banish Glinda. She usually transforms her enemies into flying monkeys or otherwise curses them, but Glinda is special.”

“Wait… did all the monkeys used to be people?” August asked.

“Yes.”

Snow and David exchanged looks. By now, Regina had killed up to a dozen of them. “She forces them to serve her?” Snow asked.

“They’re enthralled, yes.”

“Oh, no,” Belle said. “The ones that attacked the Dark Castle…”

“It was self defense,” Regina objected. “I didn’t know.”

“None of us did,” Snow said, “But we do now. We will spread the word to Robin Hood and our knights that the monkeys are to be spared if at all possible. But the best way to protect them is to defeat Zelena. And then you can restore them, can’t you?” she asked Rumplestiltskin.

“I can certainly instruct Regina, Nova, and Tinker Bell on how to do it, assuming they don’t automatically revert if Zelena is defeated or killed.”

“Then we know what our next move is,” David said, “We need to speak to Glinda.”

XxXxXxX

The party came down to Regina, Rumple, Belle, Snow, and David. The door that led to the pocket dimension where Glinda was sequestered turned out to be warded against those with dark hearts, so Regina and Rumple were forced to stay behind. The bookworm immediately decided to stay too, not willing to leave Rumple alone with Regina. Regina had to admit that she probably had a point.

“So,” Regina asked, beginning to pace, “Were you ever planning on telling me about my sister?”

“No,” Rumple said blandly.

“Because it would have been inconvenient for you,” Regina accused.

“Yes. If she had succeeded in killing you, that would have been very inconvenient indeed.”

“I only have your word that she actually tried to do that.”

Rumple gave her an unimpressed look that had always annoyed her as his student and thoroughly pissed her off now. “By all means, dearie, go talk to her. Welcome her with open arms. It doesn’t matter to me if you die now.”

“Rumple,” Belle scolded quietly. “Don’t rise to her bait.”

Regina scoffed. “You really don’t know him at all do you?”

“No, Regina,” she said sharply, “ _You_ don’t.”

“Oh, please. You think he’s going to be all sweetness and light now?” Regina hoped not. A kind Rumplestiltskin? Regina had lost too many anchors recently to cope with something as unnatural as that.

The bookworm opened her moth to retort, but Rumple beat her to it. “It’s all right, sweetheart; Regina and I are simply having a discussion.”

The bookworm looked at him, then sighed. “So how did Zelena fall for you anyway?” Regina asked pointedly. “Assuming that part is also true.”

“I was the first man to show any appreciation for her abilities,” he said. “I underestimated the effect that would have on her.”

That sounded like him. Arrogant. And totally clueless when it came to emotions he wasn’t actively manipulating. “The question is: why should I be responsible for cleaning up your mess?”

He shook his head. “Make no mistake, dearie, Zelena was fixated on you long before she met me. She was interested in me only because I was training you, and became incredibly possessive of my attention. You are her main target and always have been.”

And wasn’t that just perfect? Everything Regina had suffered, and someone was actually so envious of it that she wanted to… what? _Kill me and take over my life? I don’t care what the cricket says - that’s insane._ She grunted. “I don’t trust you,” she told him.

“Good. That means you haven’t taken total leave of your senses.”

Regina smirked despite herself. The bookworm sighed in exasperation, but didn’t object again. Regina paced up and down a couple more times before Snow and Charming reappeared through the door.

“She told us how to defeat Zelena,” Snow said seriously. 

“Excellent,” Rumple said.

“Can we free her from this place?” the bookworm asked.

“Only when Zelena is defeated,” Charming said, “The spell that keeps her here will be broken then.”

“Then let’s get out of here; it’s cold.” Regina brought them all back the council chamber (as tempted as she was to leave Rumple and the bookworm behind) and was pleased to note that someone had been civilized enough to order tea while they were gone. Regina’s money would be on either the pink fairy or the cricket (the old werewolf was out distributing supplies today).

“How’d it go?” the grumpy dwarf asked as his fairy started pouring the tea.

“According to Glinda, Zelena can only be defeated by a powerful practitioner of light magic,” Snow said. “Someone whose magic comes from love. This person must take from her the pendant she wears; once that happens, she will lose her powers.”

“I don’t suppose she mentioned any names?” the puppet asked.

“No,” Charming said. “She said Emma would be able to do it, but we didn’t know if there was anyone else.” He looked at Rumple.

Rumple nodded thoughtfully. “Most magic users currently living are either fairies or dark, and Miss Swan, of course, is unavailable. There is one other possibility that I know of, but she also presents certain… complications.”

“Who is it?” Charming asked.

“Elsa of Arendale.”

XxXxXxX

Belle went very still. All this time she’d been telling herself that with Ingrid trapped in Storybrooke, there was no point in speaking up about what had happened to Anna. She’d asked Rumple in a roundabout way whether Ingrid had succeeded in what she was trying to do, and when he’d said ‘no’, she’d let herself believe that Elsa had rescued her sister and all was well.

She’s been wrong. “What’s the complication?” Leroy asked Rumple.

“Some time before the curse was cast, Ingrid trapped Elsa inside a magical urn, and there she remains.” Belle looked at him in shock.

“And where is it?” Leroy asked, glancing at her.

“In my vault,” Rumple explained.

“Your vault… Elsa is the ‘item’ you told Emma that Ingrid wanted?” David demanded.

“Yes,” he said, his tone only slightly remorseful. But Belle had no room to criticize when she, also, had never made an effort to see that Anna was safe. She felt sick.

“We need to get her out,” Nova said immediately.

“Therein lies the complication,” Rumple said. “My vault has no door; it can only be accessed through magic. My magic.”

“Which you no longer have,” Regina said.

Rumple nodded. “However, given enough time and access to my laboratory, I may be able to find a way in. That brings us to our second complication.”

“Which is?” Leroy asked tiredly.

“While more stable that Zelena, Elsa is still somewhat… fragile. She needs her sister to keep her grounded. Without her, she has a tendency to lose control of her powers, which can have negative consequences for those around her.”

“How negative?” August asked.

“The last time she lost control, Elsa brought about an endless winter that encompassed her entire kingdom. It was only with her sister’s help that she was able to reverse its effects.”

“So where’s her sister?” Regina asked, “Dead?” Belle’s gut clenched.

“Not as far as I know.” She let out a sigh of relief. “Last I knew, Ingrid had frozen the entire land of Arendale and all its inhabitants, Anna included.”

“We have to save them,” Belle said immediately.

Rumple looked at her. “I’m afraid that Elsa is the only one who can save them now, but I fear that without her sister present, she may lose control as soon as she is released from the urn. If we’re all frozen through, no one will be left to tell her what became of her sister.”

“I can make her listen,” Regina said darkly.

“No,” Belle and Rumple said at the same time. Rumple continued. “You have never battled a witch like Elsa before. Her elemental powers do not take effort to manifest the way your own do; they are instinctive. Without even intending to, she could freeze you solid before you can hurl a fireball.”

“And we don’t want to battle her,” Snow added. “We need her help.”

“Can we even trust someone like that to battle Zelena? What if she loses control and kills us all?” Regina asked.

“With her sister present, I can train her,” Rumple said. “Assuming that she is willing.”

“And if she’s not?”

“Then we let them both go,” Belle said. “Regardless of what happens with Zelena, we cannot leave them where they are.”

“I agree,” Snow said, and nearly everyone aside from Regina nodded.

“I don’t suppose you have any suggestions on how we keep her calm enough to explain where her sister is?’ August asked.

“A familiar face would be our best bet, but seeing as they are all currently frozen, a familiar object is the best we can do.”

“And you have one, of course,” Regina said flatly.

“I do. A pendant Elsa made for her sister. She didn’t realize it at the time, but the stone set inside it is an object known as the Wishing Star. If we can keep Elsa calm enough, she can use it to summon her sister, and then she can wake her with True Love’s Kiss.”

“Do you know if they even have True Love?” Regina asked.

“Yes. Anna was cursed once before with a frozen heart; she cured herself with an act of True Love for her sister.”

“Could one of us use the Wishing Star to bring Anna here?” Belle asked desperately.

Rumple looked at her. “Well, yes, but she’d still be frozen. I’d expect Elsa would find that even more upsetting considering that Ingrid took her memories before placing her in the urn. As far as Elsa knows, she is the only person in the worlds with her particular powers; she’ll assume she cursed her sister.”

“All of this assuming you can even get to the damned urn. Why would you build your vault without a door?” Regina asked haughtily.

“For security. My vault is not full of hearts, dearie, it’s full of all the magic I have collected that is too dark and dangerous for anyone to use - even me.”

“So… you basically have a vault full of magical doomsday devices?” August asked. Leroy snorted.

Rumple grinned slightly. “That would not be an inaccurate description.”

“Have you ever… used any of them?”

“One,” he said. “Now rendered powerless. And I went to considerable length to see that another was used by someone else.” He looked pointedly at Regina.

“So these things are on par with the Dagger of the Dark One and the Dark Curse,” Regina said flatly. Rumple nodded.

“I’m assuming that means dynamite is out of the question?” August said wryly.

Leroy snorted, but Belle had a sudden idea. “Rumple, what, exactly can the Wishing Star do?”

He looked at her thoughtfully. “As per the name, it grants wishes. But there are restrictions. It can only be used by those with pure hearts, and the wish must be purely intentioned. Elsa’s parents had intended to use it to take her powers, but it cannot grant so selfish a wish.”

“So we can use it to free Elsa,” Belle said, even as she realized that she would not be able to make the wish herself.

“Perhaps,” he said, “I warded my vault against fairy magic, but the Wishing Star may just be different enough to get through my barriers.”

Snow and David shared a look. “Can it bring Emma here?” David asked.

“I don’t know,” Rumple said. “I’ve been exploring the idea of using it to send Wendy back to Earth, but I don’t know if its power can reach that far. Additionally, the larger the wish, the greater the possibility that it will exact an unexpected price.” He looked at Regina. “You can ask your genie how wishes have been known to backfire. Some of these effects are mitigated by the restrictions on the stone itself, but wishes are notoriously unpredictable.”

“Please,” Snow said, “We must try. You, of all people, must understand that.” Rumple looked at Bae.

“Very well.”


	11. Resilient Hearts

It turned out that the Wishing Star was not powerful enough to bring Emma and Henry to the Enchanted Forest. As he watched Snow and David embrace each other and Regina clench her fists and glare at the floor, it struck Bae how unfair the entire situation was. He remembered Henry’s speeches about the good guys always winning in the end, but that hadn’t happened here. Emma, Snow, and David were the ‘good guys’, and they’d lost their family. His father was not, and he’d won a second chance - on the backs of Snow, Emma, David and many more. 

But they still had the Sorcerer. When they had time, Bae would ask his father if the Sorcerer might be able to help Snow and David. And whether he had any more people lying around in urns or turned into puppets. (August had explained about his grandparents - Marco hadn’t tried to wake them up yet, and August was trying to convince him it was time.)

But that was for later that evening. Snow, eager to brush past their failure to retrieve Emma and Henry, immediately asked. “Who will make the wish to free Elsa?”

Bae looked at Belle, but August spoke up first. “I nominate Jiminy,” he said. 

“Yes,” Belle immediately agreed. “Archie has a pure heart.” Bae glanced at Regina, who frowned and shifted uncomfortably.

“Does the wisher have to be human?” Archie asked Papa.

“I guess we’ll find out,” he said, “As long as no one objects.”

“No,” Snow said, “I think Jiminy is the perfect choice.” With a longing look at the pendant, she laid it on the table in front of Jiminy. He lifted it up on one point, while laying one tiny, green hand against the stone.

“Only summon the urn,” Papa said. “When we are ready to open it, it would be best if the only people present have a True Love that can wake them if Elsa freezes their hearts.”

“Very well,” Archie said, and he lowered his head. The air shimmered, and a silver urn appeared on the table next to him.

“That’s it?” David asked.

“Yes,” Papa confirmed.

“Shouldn’t we open that thing somewhere outside the castle?” Regina suggested, “Like the middle of the Endless Forest?”

“Technically speaking, the Endless Forest does not have a middle,” Papa said. “And I’m not sure that waking up there would improve her frame of mind.”

“That’s right,” Snow said. “She’ll need friendly faces to feel welcomed.”

“Well, that rules out Gold,” Leroy said. Regina smirked.

“That might actually be a good point; could she recognize you?” David asked.

Papa shook his head. “I only ever had dealings with Anna, never Elsa.”

“So who stays? If you get frozen, Bae or Belle can save you. Snow’s got Charming. Who else?” Leroy asked.

“Mr. Booth,” Papa said. “Possibly Nova, but now might not be the time to test that.”

Nova and Leroy exchanged a look. “Yeah, three’s enough,” he said.

“Dreamy-”

“I’m not taking the chance,” he said, “Not with you.”

“Three is fine, Nova,” Snow said. “We don’t want to overwhelm her.”

David took her hand and squeezed it. “You’ll be all right?”

She smiled at him. “Of course.” Regina rolled her eyes.

“Well, if you two are done, I’d like to get on with it sometime before the New Year.”

Papa looked at Belle and smiled. She smiled back, but it seemed subdued. “Elsa can save Anna, can’t she?” she asked.

Papa nodded. “They are very close. As long as Elsa hears us out, Anna will be fine.”

Regina huffed again, and started walking out. Leroy and Nova got up to follow her, and Archie took flight. 

He said something to August that August responded to with a mumbled, “Thanks.”

Bae give his father what he hoped was an encouraging smile then looked at Belle. “Come on.”

Head bowed, her hands clasped in front of her, she did. She wasn’t taking this well; Bae really hoped that his father didn’t have anyone else trapped in a magical item somewhere.

XxXxXxX

Before he’d left, Jiminy had offered August a word of encouragement, telling him he had a way with people. While it was nice of him to say so, August had still been planning to let Snow and Rumplestiltskin do the talking. That had probably not been the best decision.

Dark One or not, Rumplestiltskin was still sharp and sarcastic, which had immediately put Elsa on the defensive, and Snow’s overbearing attempts a friendliness were not helping. Elsa looked like she was about the start hyperventilating. “Hey,” August said softy, adopting a non-threatening posture. “I know you’re freaked out, but we want to help you.”

“Help me? Where am I? How did I get here?”

“That’s a really long story, and we’ll explain everything, but I think what you really want is to find your sister, right?”

“Anna? What have you done with Anna?!” The temperature dropped alarmingly.

“Nothing! The same person who put you in that urn put a spell on her, but we want to help you save her.”

“What kind of spell?”

“An ice spell; one you’ll have no trouble reversing if you listen to us,” Rumplestiltskin said. August didn’t think it was intentional, but he’d made that sound like a threat.

“Please,” August said again, “We only want to help you.” Perhaps not technically true, but not enough of a lie to make his leg burn.

“Why? Who are you? Where is this place?”

“You’re in Misthaven,” Rumplestiltskin said, “The Enchanted Forest.”

“I’m Queen Snow White,” Snow said. “And these are my advisors. August Booth and… Mr. Gold.”

“Misthaven? I need to get back to Arendale! I need to find my sister!”

“You can,” Rumplestiltskin said. He picked up the pendant, “You remember this, don’t you?”

“That’s Anna’s!” she said, snatching it away from him, “How did you get it?”

“She dropped it. I picked it up to prevent Ingrid from taking it.”

“And who is Ingrid?” Elsa asked, examining the pendant longingly. “Is she the one who cursed us?”

“She is.”

“Please,” Elsa said desperately, “I need a ship back to Arendale.”

“That is unadvisable,” Rumplestiltskin said. “The curse that afflicts Anna afflicts all of Arendale, and even you cannot reverse it. But, with that, you can bring Anna here and break the curse over her.”

“Now I know you’re lying! I made this pendant; it can’t do that!” The temperature dropped again, and ice crystals started forming on the walls.

“It’s not the pendant,” August said hastily, “It’s the stone; it’s something called the Wishing Star.”

“The stone…” Elsa shook her head. “How can I trust you? How do I know you didn’t put me in that urn?”

Rumplestiltskin shrugged. “Wish for Anna to be brought here. If it doesn’t work, you’ll know we’re lying.”

“You can trust us,” Snow said, “We only want to help you!”

“Why?”

“Because we’re under attack by a Wicked Witch and we need your help,” Rumplestiltskin said bluntly. Snow glared at him, and August braced for another temperature drop, but Elsa only stared.

“Very well,” she finally said. “I’ll try it. And if you’re lying to me, things will not go well for you.”

“We’re aware,” Rumplestiltskin said.

Elsa glared at him, but then took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them, not one, but two figures frozen in ice appeared in the room. “Anna!” Elsa sobbed, running up to the female figure.

Rumplestiltskin followed her. “You know how to reverse this,” he said quietly. “Melt the ice and kiss her.”

She looked at him, then back to Anna, laying her hand against the ice around her face. Slowly, it peeled back, revealing Anna’s disturbingly pale visage. Tears in her eyes, Elsa leaned forward and kissed her sister’s forehead, and the rest of the ice quickly vanished.

“Elsa!”

“Anna!”

They hugged, and the temperature in the room corrected itself, the ice vanishing from the walls. “Where are - Kristoff!” Anna ran over to the frozen man, Elsa trailing behind her. 

“I can melt the ice,” Elsa said, “But you have to wake him.”

Anna nodded. “Yes.” Rumplestiltskin watched with naked curiosity as Elsa drew the ice away from Kristoff’s face, and Anna kissed him. Thankfully, the kiss worked, and the man stumbled forward, shivering. “Brr, that’s cold.”

“Kristoff!” Anna cheered, throwing her arms around him.

“Elsa? You defeated Ingrid?” Kristoff asked with a grin.

“Ingrid?” Elsa asked. 

“You know, your crazy aunt? Also with ice powers, but evil?” Elsa blinked at him in confusion. 

“No?” Elsa said in confusion. August heard footsteps and glanced behind him; David must have decided that the coast was clear, because everyone was trickling back into the room.

“Elsa does not recall Ingrid because she took her memories before placing her in the urn,” Rumplestiltskin explained.

“Who are you?” Anna asked. “How do you know that? And where is this place?” Anna glanced around, and her gaze fell on, “David?”

“Joan? _You’re_ Princess Anna?” August raised an eyebrow.

“Wow! You’ve really moved up in the world. Did you take all this back from Bo-Peep?”

“No,” David said with a chuckle. “I married into it. Please meet my wife, Queen Snow White.”

“Oh! Hello! I’m Princess Anna. But David knows me as Joan. It’s not that I mean to lie or anything… I mean, I guess, technically I did, but I was on a secret mission, and I didn’t want anyone to know I’m a princess-”

Snow laughed. “I spent several years living as a bandit; I know how it is.”

“A bandit? Why? I mean, you don’t have to tell me, it could be personal-”

“Anna,” Kristoff said fondly, “Why don’t we finish introductions, figure out where Ingrid is, and then we can chat.”

Anna looked at him. “Since when are you big on introductions?”

“I’m big on catching Ingrid,” he said.

“Is she the witch you mentioned?” Elsa asked Rumplestiltskin.

“No. But I can tell you where she ended up after leaving Arendale, if you’ll have a seat.”

“All right,” Anna said trustingly, taking Kristoff’s hand and dragging him towards the table. Elsa followed more cautiously. As they walked, Snow made introductions, once again leaving Rumplestiltskin for last (except for Belle, who had not yet returned - Bae explained that she was retrieving a book from the library). 

“And this is Mr. Gold. He is Baelfire’s father, and he is… advising us.”

“Not a member of the Council?” Anna asked blithely.

“No,” he said. “That would place Queen Snow in a politically difficult situation. You see, Mr. Gold is not the name I use here. I actually go by Rumplestiltskin,” he said, bowing slightly, a smirk on his face.

Anna laughed. “Like, the Dark One?”

“Yes,” he said simply.

Anna shook her head. “I don’t know what he told you,” she said to Snow, “But he is not Rumplestiltskin. I have met Rumplestiltskin, and Rumplestiltskin is sparkly.”

Regina guffawed while the rest of them exchanged looks and Kristoff mouthed, “ _Sparkly_ ” to himself.

Anna kept speaking. “And he’s evil. And his hair is curly. And he wears- oh, My God! You’re wearing Rumplestiltskin’s clothes! Why would you do that? Did you steal them? He’s going to be so angry-” Bae and Leroy lost it, their laughter joining Regina’s and drowning out whatever else Anna had to say. Only fear of imminent death kept August from doing the same (Dark One or no, he knew it was a bad idea to piss of Rumplestiltskin).

Gold rolled his eyes and sighed mightily. He waited for Bae’s laughter to die down then asked, “Are you quite done, Baelfire?” Bae just looked at him and started snickering again.

“See! He can’t be Rumplestiltskin! Rumplestiltskin would curse you for laughing at him like that!”

“Yeah, Rumple,” Regina chortled, “Curse us.”

“Don’t tempt me, dearie, I could do it,” he said, “Potions and talismans are not beyond my reach.”

“No curses,” Snow said sharply. “But show some decorum, Regina. And you, Grumpy. I assure you, Anna, this is Rumplestiltskin. His appearance has changed because Baelfire broke his curse.”

“Which curse?”

“The curse that made him the Dark One.”

Anna narrowed her eyes in a way that she probably intended to be intimidating but really, really wasn’t. She walked around Rumplestiltskin like a kid playing Drill Sargent. “If you’re really Rumplestiltskin, you’ll know that he stole something from me. What was it?” she asked, turning sharply and pointing an accusing finger at him.

“Your tear,” he said blandly. “After you contemplated killing me and decided against it.”

“Oh, My God! You really are Rumplestiltskin!” She grabbed Elsa and tried to pull her behind her. “Stay away!”

“Oh, I have got to hear the rest of this story,” Regina said, grinning.

Anna was only too happy to oblige. “He tried to get me to poison an old man! Only it wasn’t poison, it was the antidote! When I couldn’t do it, he was going to lock me a tower! And he turned that poor, old man into a mouse and stole his hat! The hat - the hat!” Anna told Elsa, who was blinking rapidly, trying to keep up with Anna’s story.

“Hat?”

“The Sorcerer’s Hat! He was going to use it free himself of the dagger, but I took it; he must be after it-”

“He’s not,” Bae said. “He doesn’t need it anymore; he’s already free of the dagger.”

“And I’m aware that you no longer have it in any case,” Rumplestiltskin explained with a shrug.

“Who does?” Regina asked.

“Ingrid took it, although I suspect that the Apprentice retrieved it from her at some point. I offered her a deal for it, but she never got back to me.”

“What did you offer her?” Anna asked accusingly.

“The urn.”

“ _You_ had the urn?” she accused. “I told you, he’s evil!”

“You would have rather I let Ingrid keep it?”

“No!”

“Please,” Snow said, “Let’s all calm down.” It had gotten cool again, but no ice had formed yet. “We understand that Rumplestiltskin has done terrible things, but he is our ally now. We need his help against Zelena just as we need yours. Please.”

“Who is Zelena?” Kristoff asked.

“The Wicked Witch,” Rumplestiltskin said.

“You can’t trust him,” Anna insisted.

Regina snorted. “Belive me, I don’t.”

“Good,” Anna said, nodding decisively.

“How far are we from Arendale?” Kristoff asked, trying to divert the conversation.

“We’re in the northeastern corner of the Enchanted Forest,” David said, “I’m not sure how far that is from Arendale.”

“Wait,” Elsa said to Rumplestiltskin, “You said that Ingrid froze all of Arendale.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t believe you,” Anna said, even though she’d apparently been there.

“By all means, see for yourself.”

“How?” Elsa asked.

“Through a mirror. One made of ice will do.”

“I… I don’t know how to do that.”

“I can teach you.”

“Don’t trust him,” Anna said, “He’ll teach you dark magic.”

“Tell me about it,” Regina grumbled.

“What profit would there be for me to do that?” he asked. “Do either of you deny that nothing I did was without reason?”

Regina shrugged elegantly. August suspected she was just egging Anna on for own amusement; it wasn’t like she had the moral high ground over Rumplestiltskin, and they all knew it. Anna bit her lip and looked at Elsa. 

Bae spoke up. “I’m sorry that my father deceived you,” he said. “But he won’t do it again; he has too much to lose now.” Bae and Rumplestiltskin shared a significant, glance, and the former Dark One nodded.

“Like what?” Anna asked.

“Me. He knows I won’t tolerate that.”

Anna looked torn, but Elsa’s expression was thoughtful, and the room warmed up again. “Well, if he’s on the straight and narrow now, where is Ingrid? You said you could tell us that,” Kristoff said.

“No, I said that I could tell you where she ended up after casting her curse over Arendale. She was taken to Earth by Regina’s curse, as were we all. With that curse now reversed, she has been returned to wherever it took her from.”

“And where was that?” 

Rumplestiltskin looked a Regina. “Why are you looking at me?” she asked, “I’ve never heard of this person.”

Rumplestiltskin blinked at her. “Sarah Fisher.”

“Who?”

“The proprietor of Any Given Sundae.”

“Her? She was a weather witch?”

“You didn’t know?”

“No!”

“Hm.”

“You can find her with the crystal ball,” Bae said. “The one I traded to you.”

Regina shrugged. “Why not?” She conjured the ball and looked into it, frowning. “It’s not working; she’s shielded herself somehow.”

“Hm.”

“You have magic,” Elsa said to Regina. “Can you teach me?”

Regina looked unexpectedly flattered, then laughed and shook her head. “If you don’t want to learn dark magic, I can’t help you there.”

Anna backed up a step. “Your magic is dark?”

“Didn’t the outfit tip you off?” Leroy asked. “Regina here was the Evil Queen. And she’s been ‘reformed’,” he actually made air quotes as he said this, “For a lot shorter time than Gold has.”

Baffled, Anna looked at David and Snow. “We believe in second chances,” Snow said firmly. “Both Rumplestiltskin and Regina have done great evil, but they are now our allies. If he says that he will teach you only light magic, he will keep his word.”

“You can get it in writing,” August offered, “He does that.”

“I know,” Anna said darkly.

“Yes, you do,” Rumplestiltskin said. “And now you know to read it carefully, don’t you, dearie?”

“Papa,” Bae said warningly, “Stop it.”

Rumplestiltskin looked at him, then inclined his head. “As you wish, Bae.”

“You’re really his son?” Anna asked Baelfire.

“Would he do that for anyone else?” Leroy asked.

“And you broke the curse that make him the Dark One,” Anna said carefully. Bae nodded. “How?”

“True Love’s Kiss. It can break any curse, even that one.”

Anna frowned, then marched right up to Rumplestiltskin, her hands on her hips. “Are you sorry?” she asked.

“Not particularly. But I can tell you that I am if you prefer platitudes to honesty.”

Anna huffed. “I _don’t_ like you.”

“I’m not asking you to like me. I’m not even asking you to trust me. I’m offering my knowledge in exchange for your sister’s assistance with Zelena - nothing more or less.”

“And if we say no?”

“Then you’re free to leave; no one here will stop you.”

“What about this Zelena person?” Kristoff asked.

“If you see any flying monkeys or a lady with green skin - run,” Leroy said dryly.

“Flying monkeys?”

“Zelena has a strange sense of humor,” Rumplestiltskin explained.

“Please,” Snow said again. “We need your help. And we would like to help you; I’m sure that Rumplestiltskin’s knowledge can help you lift the curse on Arendale.”

He shrugged. “Perhaps. If we can locate Ingrid, she can certainly do it, or if Elsa’s powers can rise to match hers.”

“Then I agree,” Elsa said quickly, “ _If_ what I see in the mirror confirms what you have told us.”

Anna huffed again, and pointed her finger at Rumplestiltskin. “I’ll be _watching_ you,” she said.

“Of course,” Rumplestiltskin said with a bow. He turned to Elsa. “Can you create a mirror?”

Elsa took a deep breath. “Yes.” She extended her hands, and a swirl of snow and ice appeared before her, coalescing into a floor-length mirror with an elaborate, white frame of snowflakes and reindeer. 

“Very nice,” Rumplestiltskin said appreciatively. Elsa blushed. “Now stand directly in front of it.” She did. “Now think of your home. Your people. Think of why you need to see this.”

“All right.”

“Picture a specific place that you know, always keeping those feelings in the forefront of your mind. And look.”

The mirror shimmered, and the reflection of Snow’s council chamber was replaced with an image of a desolate castle courtyard, caked in ice under a gray sky. Elsa sobbed once. The image changed to a clearing, a collection of perfectly round boulders scattered about, all frozen. Last was a stable housing a reindeer, with, oddly enough, a short snowman built right next to the door. Deer and snowman were as frozen as Anna and Kristoff had been. The mirror collapsed, and Anna grabbed her sister; they were both crying. Kristoff swallowed hard.

“You can show her how to reverse this, right?” he asked Rumplestiltskin.

“I can teach her everything Ingrid knows. The rest is up to her.”

Elsa pulled away from Anna and wiped her eyes. “Show me,” she said.

He nodded. “Very well.” 

XxXxXxX

“Having trouble finding your book?” Baelfire asked.

Belle jumped. “Bae! You startled me!”

He gave her a look that was far too knowing. “Anna and Elsa are OK, and Anna’s fiancé Kristoff made it over too. They’ve agreed to stay and help with Zelena, in exchange for Papa training Elsa to break the curse Ingrid cast over Arendale.”

Belle looked down at the book that she had not been reading. “Good. That’s good.”

Bae crossed his arms. “What’s going on with you?”

“Nothing,” she lied. He narrowed his eyes at her, and she looked back down at her book. “You have enough burdens, Baelfire, I won’t add to them.”

“Oh, bullshit,” he said angrily, “That is the same excuse my father has been using for forever, and you don’t let him get away with it! What happened? It has to do with Anna and Elsa, right? We need to know!”

She inhaled sharply. He was right. She was doing exactly what Rumple had done for so long; she wasn’t setting any kind of example for him or Bae. “I made a terrible mistake a long time ago,” she finally admitted. “I never told anyone, not even your father.”

“And it had to do with Anna and Elsa?”

“Yes.”

“What did you do?” he asked quietly.

“Years ago, before I met your father, I traveled to Arendale to retrieve some of my own memories; they have rock trolls there that can do this. I met Anna on my journey, and she helped me speak with them. On our way back, Ingrid attacked us. I chose to try to save my memories instead of helping Anna, and when Ingrid took her, I ran and told no one. I thought… it doesn’t matter what I thought. I should have helped Anna. I should have told the truth a long time ago. I should have asked Rumple to help. I’m sorry, Bae; I’m not the person you thought I was.”

He looked at the ground, thoughtful. Then he pulled out a chair, twisting it around so he could sit on it backwards, his arms crossed over the back. “Could you have stopped Ingrid?”

“I don’t know; I didn’t try,” she said tearfully.

“Why not?”

“At first… I thought I could save Anna after I saved my memories. And then she fell, and Ingrid appeared, and I told myself there was nothing I could do. So I went home, and tried to forget.”

“You were ashamed.”

“Yes.”

“And scared.”

“Yes.” She was the worst sort of hypocrite. What right did she have to castigate Rumple for keeping secrets or acting out of fear when she had done the same and refused to admit it? And she hadn’t been possessed by an evil curse at the time, or suffered the horrible blows in life that he had.

“You should tell my father.”

“Yes.” She was almost certain that he would love still love her, but what would he think of her? He had worked so hard to change, and she had not even had the courage to admit her own sins to him.

“Did you see the Apprentice?”

“What? No.”

Bae sighed. “Do you know where Ingrid might have gone?”

“No. I would say if I knew; I swear.”

“I know. It’s just that Papa thinks Ingrid might have made a deal with the Apprentice; we still need to find him to get Wendy back to Earth.”

“I never saw him, Bae. And Ingrid was still in Arendale the last time I saw her.”

Bae nodded and got up. “I’ll tell Papa to meet you here, and I’ll try to keep Anna out of your way.”

His manner wasn’t angry. Or betrayed. Belle couldn’t tell what he was thinking. “Why?”

He looked at her confused. “Do you want to talk to Anna?”

“I should,” she said, getting up herself. “I need to apologize.”

He nodded. “That might actually help. She wanted to know if Papa was sorry for what he did.”

“Is he?” He gave her a jaded look. “No, I suppose not. His curse…”

“He’s not cursed now.”

“Please don’t be angry with him Bae, he’s come so far.”

“I know. I accept it; it doesn’t mean I like it.”

“Are… are you angry with me, Bae?”

He cocked an eyebrow. “After what he’s done, how could I be?”

“He never lied about the kind of person he is or the things he’s done. I did.”

Bae shook his head. “He was that way in the beginning. Worse, even, because he did not understand what he was doing was wrong. I’m tired of being judge and jury. He figured it out. You did too. We need to focus on Zelena and finding the Apprentice. If you want someone to beat you up over what you did, ask Regina; I’m sure she’d be happy to do it.”

She was starting to understand why Rumple sometimes looked at her and Bae as if their very presence was a gift. To be accepted and welcome after expecting rejection and recrimination; it was a gift. “Thank you, Bae.” He smiled at her, and she put her book aside, steeling herself for her confrontation with Anna.

XxXxXxX

“So I had the Wishing Star to whole time?” Anna asked.

Rumplestiltskin nodded. “Blackbeard sold it to your parents. What they didn’t realize at the time was that their wish to remove Elsa’s powers was too selfish a wish for the Star to grant.”

“So he tricked them,” Anna said, but she couldn’t be angry about it. They _had_ been trying to take Elsa’s powers after all.

“Yes. Sweetheart!”

“Sweetheart? Don’t call me…” but he wasn’t looking at her, he was looking behind her.

“There you are; I was getting worried.” he said, his expression suddenly soft. 

“I’m sorry, Rumple. I’m here now.” That voice sounded familiar to Anna, and she turned, spotting Baelfire with someone she never thought she’d see again.

“Belle!”

Belle clasped her hands in front of her and shuffled nervously. “Hello, Anna. How are you?”

“All right! I mean, Arendale is frozen, and Ingrid is on the lose, and there’s this Wicked Witch going around turning people into flying monkeys, and Rumplestiltskin really, really creeps me out, but I’m all right. I thought Ingrid must have frozen you!”

Belle shook her head. “No. Anna, I am so sorry. I should have helped you when Ingrid attacked. Instead I let you fall, and then I ran and never told anyone; not even Rumple. He could have helped you if I’d said anything-”

“Uh…” she looked back at Rumplestiltskin, who was watching Belle in concern. _What?_ “Who’s Rumple? Do you mean Rumplestiltskin? ‘Cause he knew the whole time. He took my necklace and locked Elsa up in his vault and everything. Which I’m still mad about, by the way!”

He only shrugged, walking towards Belle and still looking concerned. “You encountered Ingrid?” he asked. 

Belle nodded, looking tearful. “And Anna. I’m so sorry, Anna. I repaid your kindness with selfishness, and I’m sorry.”

“That’s true, I guess. But, I mean, I can get how needing to know the truth about your parents can make you do stupid things. I made a deal with him!” she said, pointing to Rumplestiltskin. “And you are sorry. Are you going to help us fight Zelena?”

“If I can,” she said.

“Then good! I forgive you.”

“Thank you,” she said fervently. Rumplestiltskin reached out and placed his left hand on Belle’s arm (he carried a cane in his right, something Anna was dying to ask about, but knew would be rude - even if it was Rumplestiltskin). Belle put her hand over his and leaned into his touch, smiling. _Whoa._

“Wait… Sweetheart?”


	12. Lessons

“ANOTHER ONE?!” Zelena shrieked, sending a blast of energy into the wall. Monkeys and emerald shards went flying. Miss Swan was supposed to be the only threat to her, safely trapped without her memories in the Land Without Magic. Just to be sure, Zelena had sent her favorite monkey to keep an eye on her, and peeked in on them every now and then. As it should be, the Savior suspected nothing, and went about her life in haze of unreasonably happy magic-induced memories.

But now there was another good witch in the Enchanted Forest, already safely ensconced in Regina’s palace before Zelena had even been aware of her. And Rumple had taken her on as a student! She grit her teeth as she watched them; Elsa with her nauseating, wide-eyed waif act and Rumple behaving as the dutiful mentor. He was even _kind_ to her - more kind than he’d ever been with Zelena _or_ Regina!

And Zelena couldn’t even show her face yet. She knew now where she would get the baby for her spell. Dear, sweet Snow wanted another child to replace the one she’d given up (didn’t that sound familiar?), but her muscle-head prince wasn’t ready to try, not with Zelena ‘on the loose’. She had to stay away, convince them that they were safe, until Snow started baking up another little Savior. But how could she do that when her Rumple had taken on yet another student? A student with powers Zelena did not possess? 

Rumple was hers! She was going to prove him wrong about her, to make him see her and know that he should have chosen her all along. She was twice the witch Regina was! But now she was competing against a second witch. A witch with ice powers and True Love!

Zelena paced. She’d been working on trying to restore Rumple’s curse. If she had the dagger, it wouldn’t matter what Elsa could do; Zelena might be vulnerable to those with the power of True Love, but the Dark One wasn’t. She already possessed the key to reviving the Dark One from the dead. But Dark One hadn’t died; the curse itself had been broken. There was no precedent for this.

_Well, no one has ever cast a successful time spell either have they?_ Plastering a wicked grin on her face - appearances matter, never forget that - she retreated to her library. There had to be a way to get her Rumple back, and take out that little ice princess at the same time. “You’re mine,” she growled, opening her copy of the Myth of the Dark One. She _would_ have him. 

XxXxXxX

“What the hell are you doing?” Regina asked Rumple, magically appearing in his room. She hadn’t been able to make him jump, but he turned towards her with a careful stillness she knew all to well from Storybrooke.

“You know what spinning looks like, dearie,” he said. Snow, in a fit of utter insanity, had decided that Rumple should spin her a fine, angora yarn for when the next baby Charming came along. While the task did successfully keep Rumple out of the way when he wasn’t training with Elsa, Regina was sure that Snow must have gone completely bonkers to invite Rumple to spin something she intended to wrap her baby in. Dark One or not, he was still a conniving bastard. That was one thing that Miss Swan had gotten right: it wasn’t his magic that made Rumple dangerous, it was his brain. Which was the reason she was here.

“I mean, what are you doing with Elsa? You’re _nice_ to her; what are you planning?”

He blinked slowly, his expression dripping condescension. “You know what I’m planning. I’m planning on setting her on Zelena, armed with light magic and True Love.”

“You practically fawn over her; that’s not how you teach.”

“Correction: it’s not how I taught _you._ I was teaching you dark magic, dearie, the method is different. And Elsa is not as… robust as you, regardless.”

That took her aback. “Robust?” 

He sighed. “You do remember when we discussed Elsa’s fragility, don’t you? Her sister being here grants her stability and purpose, but does not change who she is. You respond to a threat by striking back twice as hard; if I tried that with Elsa, she would break.”

“My god, Rumple, that almost sound like a compliment,” Regina scoffed.

“It is an observation of fact, nothing more.” And he had stated it as such, not a hint of mockery in his tone.

Regina tossed her head. “Well, it’s not like you could train her like you did me anyway. You can’t curse her with boils or throw fire at her when she isn’t looking; your power is gone,” she reminded him cruelly.

He refused to take the bait. “I could still do both of those things; it would simply take some preparation,” he said blandly.

She would never forgive him for what he had done. But then, he had never asked her to. 

She could kill him now. They both knew it. His son and the librarian were away, in other parts of the castle. He refused to get up from his little, spinner’s stool, but she knew it was a bluff. He was waiting for her to get him back for everything. For turning her dark. For ruining her life. He was afraid, she knew, just as she had been when he’d confronted her back in Storybrooke, just after Sydney had brought magic to the town.

He’d spared her then, because his son had asked him to. Regina curled her lip. She would not let Rumple go out the better man. She had a son too. Without a word, she left him to his spinning.

XxXxXxX

Elsa didn’t know what to think. She was in a strange place with strange people, learning how to do things with her powers that she had never even thought of before. Her kingdom was in peril, and she apparently had an evil aunt somewhere out there with powers just like hers, and there was also a wicked witch she had to fight who turned people into flying monkeys. Her teacher was the former Dark One, and one of her hosts the former Evil Queen. The people here had spent nearly thirty years on another planet that was very, very different than theirs, and they talked about things she didn’t understand. And yet, somehow, she felt more comfortable here than she ever had in Arendale.

Maybe it was because no one was afraid of her. 

“Woops!”

“Sorry!”

Two identical boys charged through the courtyard where she was practicing shielding spells (less than successfully). They were carrying large coils of rope, and nearly crashed into her in their hurry. She took a hasty step back to let them pass.

“Watch where you’re going!” Kristoff shouted after them, but they didn’t slow down.

“Sorry, mate!”

“Gotta hurry!”

“Brats!”

Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes, but Baelfire watched them thoughtfully. “I may have an idea,” he said.

“What?” Elsa asked. The practice was not going well. She was supposed to be conjuring shields, but every time Anna, Kristoff, or Baelfire threw a snowball at her, she either just deflected the ball or got so caught up in not deflecting the ball that she couldn’t concentrate on the shield.

“The snowballs aren’t working because you keep deflecting them; we need something that you can’t do that with, something not made of ice and snow.”

“Like what?” she asked, as Rumplestiltskin looked at his boy and smiled.

XxXxXxX

“Ready, Boys?” Gaston shouted.

“Ready!”

Bae had originally thought that they were just going to gather up some pinecones to throw at Elsa in lieu of snowballs, but as the Lost Boys had flocked to help, Papa had suggested that more missiles from more directions were the way to go. “I made the task too easy,” he’d said. “You can deflect three objects, but twenty?”

So they were now a little ways into the woods, all of them armed with pinecones, and half of them concealed where Elsa couldn’t even see. She already had her hands braced, and she looked around, resolute. She twisted her fingers, and a whitish, turquoise barrier rose in a column around her. Papa nodded at Gaston.

“Fire at will!”

The barrier held for a few moments, but collapsed after only a few hits. “Ow!” 

“Hold!” Gaston shouted, and the boys stopped.

“Maybe try again, but fewer?” Elsa suggested.

“It’s not the number,” Papa said. “It’s your concentration. You’re worried about losing control, more than you are about protecting yourself.”

“She’s doing her best,” Anna protested.

“I didn’t say she wasn’t.”

“You’re doing fine, Elsa - hey!” Anna jumped back as Papa suddenly threw a pinecone at her, only to have it bounce off a sudden, magical barrier.

Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff glared at Papa, who only shrugged. “See? When it’s your sister in peril, you don’t think about it.”

“That’s right! You did it!” Anna cheered. “Oh, wait… I have to be the target now, don’t I?”

XxXxXxX

“How was Elsa’s lesson?” Belle asked. 

Rumplestiltskin was tired and chilled down to his bones (which wasn’t doing his ankle any favors), but he could honestly say, “She made good progress. How fare the efforts to organize the refugees?”

“Things are settling down. We’re far enough into the winter that those that are here will at least stay until spring. Come sit by the fire; you look frozen through.”

He supposed it didn’t help that his dragonhide coat was not well insulted. It hadn’t had to be when he was the Dark One. But he was human now, and felt the cold as keenly as any mortal. He cursed Zelena for forcing this on him before he’d been ready, and the loss of his magic _ached_ , but he felt lighter somehow, too. Free in a way he hadn’t even realized he’d been burdened, before. 

He pulled off his coat, draping it over the back of a fireside chair, then settled himself into the seat. Belle finished placing another log on the fire, then flounced over to him. He spread his arms in invitation, and, laughing, she sat in his lap, mindful of his right ankle. “Oh, you are cold!” she said, as he placed his hands on her back.

He let go at once. “Too cold?”

“No, no, no,” she said, smiling, reaching for his hands. She rubbed and blew on them, then placed them on her chest. “You just need warming up.”

His impish grin matched hers, and he toyed with the laces of her jerkin. “How long was it until the royals expect us for dinner?”

“An hour or so. Do you expect Bae to be back before then?”

He shook his head. She kissed him. “Good.”

XxXxXxX

Reul Ghorm considered the stars. Things had not gone according to the Fates’ design. The curse of the Dark One had been broken. Reul Ghorm had lost the ear of Snow White, while Rumplestiltskin had claimed it. Tinker Bell had not returned to the fold, and Nova had left. Maleficent was active and making a nuisance of herself. And, Reul Ghorm saw, Elsa and Anna of Arendale had been woken far earlier than they had been meant to.

_What does this mean?_

She did not voice her concerns out loud. Nor did she receive an answer.

XxXxXxX

“Any luck?” Regina asked, not looking up from her tea.

“None,” Mal groused, conjuring a chair and pouring a cup of tea for herself. “I know where the Glade is, but she’s layered a magical labyrinth around it. Only a ‘good’ fairy can navigate it.”

“We can try Nova; she’s good.”

“She’s fallen. And she can’t fly.”

“Well, you could do something about the second one, couldn’t you?”

Mal laughed. “You want me to teach Nova how to be a dragon?”

Regina genuinely laughed for the first time since Anna’s little speech about Rumple being… _sparkly._ “Not a _dragon_ , but something with wings. Something pink. A butterfly. Or a flamingo.”

“A flamingo?”

“Great big, pink birds; they live in Florida, I think. They have some at the Bronx Zoo.”

“Hm. And how do you know that?” Mal asked leadingly.

“Because that’s where Henry and Miss Swan went last weekend,” Regina muttered. There was no point pretending that she hadn’t been using the orb every day, and Mal was the one person who would understand.

“I’m not going to lecture you,” she said. “Besides, I was wrong last time anyway, about the curse.”

“No,” Regina huffed, “You were right. I couldn’t wake Henry from the sleeping curse because of the hole in my heart.”

“But could you now?” Regina looked up, startled. “I said it would never heal,” Mal continued. “I was wrong, wasn’t I?”

“Yes,” Regina said, just now realizing it. The desperation. The emptiness. It wasn’t gone, not entirely, but it didn’t rule her anymore. Embarrassed, she changed the subject. “If this is your way of asking if you can see your daughter, you only had to ask.”

Mal smiled knowingly. “Oh, you know me, Regina, I have trouble being direct.”

Regina held the ball out to her. “You can cut the sarcasm.”

Mal just laughed.

XxXxXxX

“So,” Anna said, “It’s been a week.”

“Yes,” Rumplestiltskin said, wondering if the princess was aware of just how much that suspicious strutting make her look like a child.

“And you haven’t done anything evil.”

_Not that you know of, dearie,_ he was tempted to say, but was curious enough to know where this was going to hold his tongue. “Indeed.”

“So I think I _might_ be able to start to trust you,” Anna said.

“Is that so?”

“Yes.” 

“Did you walk all the way over her just to tell me that?” he asked. Whatever she was on about, he hoped she would just get to the point, but did not hold out much hope. ‘Concise’ was not exactly a familiar concept to her.

“No; I want to know more out Ingrid. And that spell she cast on me.”

He raised an eyebrow. This conversation might actually prove to be something other than mind-numbing. “What would you like to know?”

“She called it the Spell of Shattered Sight; do you know about it? I mean, you must, right? You were the Dark One for a really, really long time. Like, hundreds of years long.”

“I was and I do. If you are concerned about Ingrid turning you against your sister, again, don’t be. The spell can only be cast on someone once; you are now immune to it ever being cast on you again.”

“You’re sure?” she asked hopefully.

“Quite; that caveat is very well documented.”

“And what about Elsa?”

“She is not immune, but I doubt that Ingrid would care to cast it on her; she still wants Elsa as her replacement sister. Turning Elsa against you will not actually endear Ingrid to her, and Ingrid knows this. Additionally, her little sojourn to Storybrooke will have drastically reduced her opportunities to gather the required shards of mirror.”

“How so?”

“Not only was there very little magic in Storybrooke before Regina arranged to bring it there, Ingrid herself was cursed along with the rest of us; she did not even remember magic until the curse was broken.”

“But she could be gathering the pieces now?”

“Quite possibly.”

“Oh!” Anna jumped up and down, “Maybe we can find her that way! You know all about the magic of Misthaven, right?”

“I suppose,” he said carefully; her enthusiasm was off-putting. If she tried to drag him somewhere, she would be meeting the end of his cane, truce or no truce.

“So where would she go if she were looking for those mirrors?”

“Hm.” The girl actually made a good point; _will wonders never cease?_ “The most obvious source would be… right here.”

“Here?”

“Regina is well known as an expert with mirror magic and… the genie,” he said in sudden realization.

“Genie?”

XxXxXxX

Anna hurried to keep up with Rumplestiltskin. Who knew a man with a cane could walk so fast? “So what about this genie?”

“His mirrors could go a long way towards fueling Ingrid’s spell, and I have not seen him since the curse was reversed,” he said simply, not looking at her.

“Oh!” Ingrid had said it would take a lifetime to gather the magic needed to affect an entire kingdom, but that was without a genie to help her. She could be casting the spell right now!

“Regina!” Rumplestiltskin shouted as they approached the stables. The former Evil Queen was speaking to Robin Hood and his little boy, dressed in what Anna thought was a very silly outfit to go riding in. _Everything is sparkly and black with her._

“What?” Regina snapped impatiently.

“Where is the genie?”

“Why? Was he spying on you? I didn’t tell him to do that.”

“So he is still here?”

“Yes. He was getting annoying about me casting the curse so I…” she glanced at the little boy standing next her.

Rumplestiltskin sighed. “You trapped him in a specific mirror, which you promptly forgot about after the curse was reversed, didn’t you?”

“That’s terrible!” Anna objected.

Regina just rolled her eyes. “What do you want him for?”

“Ingrid has an interest in the Spell of Shattered Sight. Do you know it?”

“Something with mirrors.”

“It turns people against the people they love,” Anna said. “And your genie could be the last piece she needs. How do we stop her from using it?” she asked Rumplestiltskin.

“The mirror is only of use to her if it is steeped in regret and despair.” He looked meaningfully at Regina.

She crossed her arms. “Oh, you can’t be serious.”

“I’m quite serious.”

“Serious about what?” Anna asked.

Rumplestiltskin smirked. “You have to be _nice,_ dearie,” he told Regina.

XxXxXxX

“My Queen! I knew you wouldn’t forget about me!” Regina sighed. Sydney wasn’t just annoying, he was a temptation. She was trying not to fall back into old patterns, but he practically begged to be used by her. Her only hope now was to pawn him off on one of the insufferable do-gooders. Or Rumple - it would serve him right.

“So, how have you been?” she asked, trying unsuccessfully to keep the impatience out of her tone. Sydney didn’t notice.

“Wonderful, now that I see you face, my Queen.”

“Wonderful,” she said flatly.

“We’re here to rescue you!” Anna said, braids bouncing.

“Rescue me?”

“Is there even a way to do that?” the puppet asked. He’d been in the library with Belle, Kristoff, and Elsa and had followed them for what Regina suspected was no other reason than to witness her humiliation. She knew that Rumple was getting a hell of a kick out of it.

“A wish trapped him in the mirror; a wish can free him, if he desires it,” Rumple said.

“I’ll do it!” Anna agreed, her hand around the Wishing Star at her throat.

“Be careful of wishes, Miss…”

“I’m Anna. This is my sister Elsa, and my fiancé, Kristoff. And this is August.”

“We’ve met,” Sydney said.

“He framed me for kidnapping,” the puppet said blandly.

“I did not!”

The puppet rolled his eyes. “OK, fine, he let me take the fall for a kidnapping he committed.”

“I was cursed.”

“You weren’t when you shot Gold and Leroy and took David and Nova hostage.”

“Oh.” Anna looked down at her pendant.

“That darkness is precisely why we need to destroy this mirror,” Rumple said.

“Oh! That makes sense.”

“For the record, I am sorry,” Sydney said.

“Really?” the puppet asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes,” Sydney replied. Regina believed it. Sydney had always been conflicted about what he did in her name. Of course, that hadn’t stopped him from doing it.

“Well, that’s something,” the puppet said dryly.

“OK, I’m going to get you out now,” Anna said.

“Is that the Wishing Star?” Sydney asked.

“Yes!”

“All right, then.”

Anna actually closed her eyes as she made her wish, and Sydney vanished from the mirror, reappearing in his human form, curly-toed shoes and all. “Thank you,” he said to Anna, placing his fist against his heart and bowing. “You have a pure heart.”

“Uh, technically, I have a heart that turned away from darkness, or something like that. Whatever. It doesn’t matter unless _someone_ needs my tear to open the Sorcerer’s Hat.” She glared at Rumple, who only shrugged.

“Have you been able to locate the Sorcerer?” Sydney asked curiously. “He’s been lost for centuries.”

“I’m afraid not. And the Apprentice moved house since our last encounter,” Rumple said.

“So what about the mirror?” Elsa asked.

Rumple flicked his fingers at it. “Any thorough method of destruction will do. Turn it to water, transport it into a volcano, whatever.”

“Let me try,” Elsa said eagerly, and Regina stepped back, curious if she could do it. Destruction was hardly the blonde’s strong suit.

Elsa raised her hands, and the mirror immediately became caked in ice. The temperature in the cell dropped as it built up thicker and thicker until the glass and spines were entirely obscured. Suddenly, it cracked, then collapsed off the wall, leaving nothing but a snow drift at their feet. “Ha!” Anna said. “Let’s see Ingrid try to cast her spell now!”

“Ingrid?” Sydney asked her.

“My Aunt. She’s evil. Come on, we’ll tell you about it.” Anna beckoned him to follow her out of the dungeon, chattering all the while. The do-gooders followed her one by one, eventually leaving only Regina, Rumple, and Belle (who obviously only lingered because Rumple did).

“I don’t suppose I could pay you to keep him out of my hair?” Regina asked Rumple.

He grinned. “You can always banish him somewhere. With the mirror destroyed, it makes no difference to me what you do with him.”

It was tempting. She had originally intended that, after all, when she’d enlisted him to kill Leopold. But Sydney, whatever else he was, had always been loyal to her. He was annoying, no doubt, and she would never call him a friend, but he had chosen her; few people ever had. She did wonder why it was hard to throw that away now when she’d been perfectly content to do it before.

_Maybe because I’m not the Evil Queen anymore._

_Or maybe I’m just losing my mind._

But she would not give Rumple or the librarian the satisfaction of knowing she was conflicted. She smirked. “I’ll think about it,” she said, and vanished dramatically, just to rub it in Rumple’s face that he no longer could.

XxXxXxX

Rumplestiltskin missed his magic. It was the price he’d paid, he knew, and a fairer one than many he had exacted in his time, but it wore on him all the same. Regina’s less than subtle jabs were hardly helping, but harder still was spending every day with Elsa, a girl naturally blessed with all the things Rumplestiltskin had had to pay and suffer for, only to lose them in the end.

Well, all but one thing. He looked up from his wheel as Belle placed her hand on his shoulder. He’d been allowed to keep his family. _But for how long?_

With no magic of his own, he was now dependent on the Charmings’ good will, and, worse still, Regina’s. She had seemed to come to a decision to spare him some days ago, but who knew how long that would last? Until she had her heart broken again? Until she got bored?

And then there was Zelena. More powerful than Regina, and far more unbalanced, the only advantages he had over her now were knowledge and allies. But that could change. She had Malcolm already, and there were any number of people on any number of worlds who would be able to tolerate Zelena’s company for a while in exchange for the opportunity to avenge themselves against the Dark One.

They needed to leave. They needed to find the Apprentice.

Assuming he would even agree to deal.

“What’s bothering you?” Belle asked. She’d begun rubbing his shoulders, and it was _lovely._

“What makes you think anything is?” he asked mildly. He couldn’t tell her how badly he wanted his power back; she and Bae were so happy it was gone.

“You frown, when you’re not paying attention. And you spin. Incessantly.”

“It helps me think,” he said. The truth - but not the whole truth.

“You said it helps you forget.”

“Yes, when I need it too. To remember, when I need that. I’m using it now to help me focus.”

“On Zelena?”

He nodded. “And finding the Apprentice. Or the Sorcerer, if such a thing can be done.”

“Do you still want to leave?” she asked, and it was the question she’d been working towards, he knew. He turned around on his stool to face her.

“I can’t protect you like this,” he said simply. “It’s the only way to keep you both safe.”

“Would it be safe? We could take gold surely, but what about documentation? And you won’t have the resources or influence you had in Storybrooke.”

It was a fair point, to be sure, but anything could be bought. Papers could be forged. Magic could not be battled without more magic; even Miss Swan had learned that. “The threats are much greater here,” he said.

“So are our friendships, our allies.” She looked down. “I miss Storybrooke,” she confessed, “It was the best balance of both. But that is selfish of me.”

“I think Mr. Booth would disagree.” The puppet would gladly lament to anyone who would listen about his longing for movies, motorcycles, and indoor plumbing, and there were many happy to commiserate. Rumplestiltskin had told Jefferson the truth before; the living had been better on Earth, especially for the peasantry.

“But this is their home. They didn’t choose to be taken to Storybrooke.”

“They didn’t choose to be taken out of it either.”

She frowned and turned around, sitting carefully on his lap. He put his arms around her, burying his nose in her hair. “You’re right,” she said quietly. “If the strangers hadn’t come, then we could have used the beans, and everyone would have been able to choose.”

Personally, Rumplestiltskin blamed Jones. They’d really never had a chance to determine if anything of the bean field could have been salvaged. And even if they couldn’t have, if Hook hadn’t found the dagger, Rumplestiltskin could have disposed of the strangers, eventually broken the curse on the town line, and they would have had an entire world to get lost in. With a large bank account to ease the way.

Belle looked at him. “We have each other. That’s what matters.”

He was able to smile for her. “Yes, it is.” He kissed her. 

“Wendy still needs to get home,” she said as a peace offering.

“Yes, she does.”

XxXxXxX

“Fire?” Elsa asked skeptically. “I’m really better with ice.”

“Zelena is not so limited,” Rumplestiltskin said, “And nor should you be. Suppose you are stranded somewhere cold with your sister and no wood? You are protected from the cold; she is not.”

“But how do I do it? Everything I do starts with ice.”

“Then start with ice.”

“You want me to build fire out of ice?”

“Yes.”

“All… all right.”

As instructed, Elsa held out her right hand. She focused on it, imagining conjuring a fire to help keep Anna warm. She was left with a tiny ice sculpture that looked like a fireball. “Well, that didn’t work,” she said, dropping it to the ground. It rolled away awkwardly.

“What were you thinking of?” Rumplestiltskin asked. She knew there was a point to these questions, but she wished he would just tell her the answer; she didn’t know what he was getting at.

“I was thinking of trying to keep Anna warm,” she said, “I need to focus on my love; that’s what you said.”

“Love, yes, warm, no. Fire is not _warm,_ dearie, it’s hot. Warm is comfortable. You are comfortable around ice, so that’s what you got.”

“So I need to be uncomfortable?”

“You need to be determined. Passionate. There is a reason that Regina is so good at fire.”

“Then have her do it!” Elsa said, tossing up her hands. “What’s the point in me learning something she already knows?”

“Because her magic is dark, dearie. It cannot defeat Zelena.”

“Then just tell me what I have to think of! I know you know the answer!”

He gave her an unimpressed look. “I do, but what would you learn from that?”

“How to make fire! Isn’t that what you want?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m not just teaching you spells, dearie, I’m teaching you how to _think._ I’ve given you the answers so far, and what have you learned? Spells only. I’ve now set before you a different problem, and you have no idea how to solve it, do you?”

Elsa’s shoulders dropped. “Oh.”

He sighed. “Try this: what do ice and fire have in common?”

Elsa bit her lip. She had never had a teacher like this. Her parents had done most of her tutoring (after she had lost control of her powers and hurt Anna, she could not be trusted around anyone else), and they had always told her the answer. They’d told her what to think, what to feel. What not to feel. “They have… they are both elements…. they can be conjured by magic…”

“Be more specific.” Kristoff was shifting from foot to foot, and Elsa knew he had a million suggestions. Ice was her natural element, but Kristoff understood it from an entirely different perspective.

_How does Kristoff think about ice?_ “They are both… dangerous?”

“Oh!” Anna lit up, and Elsa knew she’d got it, the answer Rumplestiltskin was getting at.

“Don’t tell her,” her teacher warned. 

“Oh, but…”

“No.”

“No, Anna I can do this. Um, they are both extreme in temperature…” It clicked. “They can both burn!”

“Yes!” Anna cheered, and Kristoff and Rumplestiltskin nodded.

“Now try it again. Start with ice and make it burn.”

She extended her hand again. She focused on Anna again, but this time, she put passion into it. When had she been passionate about protecting Anna? When she ran away - but that wouldn’t work. When Hans had attacked - _yes!_ Then she envisioned ice so cold it burned. She needed this; she needed it to protect her sister, to save her kingdom from Ingrid. Ice started forming above her hand again, but she redirected it. _Burn,_ she told it. The ball twisted in the air, little licks of snow puffing off it, and then it caught. Suddenly, a ball of blue and white flame was dancing above her hand. “I did it!”

Anna and Kristoff cheered, but that broke her concentration, and the flame exploded into a puff of snow. “Darn! Let me try again.” 

“Or maybe you’d like to try something a little more interesting?” Regina asked from behind her. As long as she lived, Elsa didn’t think she would ever understand how Regina got around in those tall heeled shoes. _She must use magic._

“Like what?” Elsa asked. Regina still made her nervous. Elsa always felt like the older woman was judging her and was not impressed by what she saw.

Regina smirked. “Just a friendly, little battle. You’re going to have to learn how sometime, and Rumple can’t offer his usual… challenge.”

Elsa also didn’t like how Regina taunted Rumplestiltskin about losing his magic. While she knew that his powers had been very different from her own, and that it was best that he was no longer the Dark One, she also knew that losing them must have been very hard for him. “I’m not sure I…” she glanced at her teacher, who was watching Regina with a thoughtful look on his face.

“Just a friendly bout?” he asked.

“Of course,” Regina said, shrugging.

“Why?” Kristoff asked suspiciously.

“I want to know what she can do,” Regina said. “And I am the only one here who has fought Zelena.”

“Do you think I’m ready?” Elsa asked Rumplestiltskin.

“To win? Doubtful. To learn from it? Well, that’s up to you, dearie, isn’t it?”

Elsa wanted to learn. She’d never battled another magic user before (not that she could remember, anyway), and Regina was the closest thing to Zelena and Ingrid that she would find here. She turned to face Regina fully. “All right,” she said.

Elsa didn’t win. In fact, Regina knocked her down with just three spells. But she did learn a lot from it.

“Same time next week?” she asked, panting.

Regina’s frown quirked into a smile. “I’ll hold you to that.”


	13. Bonds

“It’s time, Geppetto,” Jiminy said. 

It was, he knew. Everyone had settled in for the winter; refugees would not be moving out again until spring. Jiminy had spoken to Queen Snow about sleeping quarters for his parents, and there were no more reasons to delay.

No reason except that he was afraid. “What if it doesn’t work?” he asked, trailing his finger down the horsehair on his mother’s wooden head.

“Then I’ll talk to Rumplestiltskin about the True Love potion,” Pinocchio said. “He should still have some, somewhere. Or he could brew more.”

“Yes.” But it would still be Geppetto’s fault; he still wouldn’t be enough. 

Jiminy fluttered over and landed on his knee, putting one tiny hand on his wrist. “This is the right thing,” he said, “You know it is.”

He nodded. Pinocchio had set up two chairs next to each other. Geppetto placed his parents on them. He knelt down in front of his mother and swallowed hard. Pinocchio crouched down next to him and gripped his shoulder. His boy smiled at him. “It will be all right, Papa.”

Eyes stinging, Geppetto nodded. He leaned forward and kissed the top of his mother’s head. The air tingled. She screamed.

Geppetto collided with Pinocchio as they both scrambled backwards, falling over in a heap. His mother was on her feet, looking around frantically. “What’s going on? Where am I? Who are you?”

Geppetto couldn’t speak. She looked just the same. Gold hair in ringlets, dark eyes, white blouse. Fortunately, Pinocchio was able to respond. He slowly got his feet under him but didn’t stand, instead spreading his hands calmly. “It’s a little hard to explain,” he said, “But you were cursed. My father broke it just now.”

“And who is he? Who are you? Where is my husband?”

“My name is August - er, Pinocchio. He is…” Pinocchio looked at him, questioning. Geppetto could only nod. “He is your son.”

She looked at him, horrified. “No! My Geppetto is only ten! Who are you…” she looked around, her eyes landing on his father, still a puppet. She screamed again. “Steven!”

She grabbed the fireplace poker. “Mama!” Geppetto cried in alarm.

She shook her head at him. “Don’t… don’t come any closer.”

“We’re not gong to hurt you,” Pinocchio said, his voice deliberately calm. He still didn’t get up from his crouching position.

“Where is this place?” she demanded again.

“This is Queen Snow White’s castle,” Pinocchio said.

“Castle? Why would you bring us here?”

“Because it’s the safest place in the kingdom.”

“Safe? Safe from what? From a plague?” she asked with a dark laugh.

“From ogres… among other things,” Pinocchio answered.

“Those people… the ones who came to our home and cursed us, do you know them?”

“I don’t. But I know they are dead. They died a long time ago.”

“Then how did you find us?!”

“Rumplestiltskin took you.” She gasped and took a step backwards. “We made a deal with him.”

“You’re allied with the Dark One?”

“N- he’s not the Dark One anymore.”

“Impossible.”

“No. It’s a curse, being the Dark One. His son broke it.”

“His son? You must think I’m stupid; the Dark One can’t have a son!”

Pinocchio sighed. “Please, listen to me. It’s been a long time; a lot has changed. We’ll explain everything if you will just put the poker down.”

“No,” she said sharply. “Prove it. Prove what you’re telling me.”

“Your favorite dress is blue,” Geppetto blurted out. “You sang to me every night, even when I told you I was too old.”

She took a step back. “How… how could you know that?”

“Because I remember. Mama, it’s _me._ ”

She stared at him but didn’t lower the poker. Pinocchio spoke softly, “He can wake up your husband.”

She glanced at that the puppet that was Papa. “Wake…?”

“Turn him back into a human. With True Love’s kiss-”

“What? That’s between lovers!”

“It doesn’t have to be. I think people just enjoy telling stories about lovers more than children,” Pinocchio said wryly. He still didn’t get up off the floor, and so Geppetto did not either. Jiminy did not present himself, and Geppetto had the unkind thought that he was hiding. But no, surely it was because his appearance would only startle her more?

She looked back and forth between Geppetto and Pinocchio, and Geppetto tried not to cry. He had thought that she might be afraid, but it had not occurred to him that she would not believe he was who he said he was. He didn’t know what to do. “Mama, _please._ ”

Her eyes filled, but still she did not lower the poker. “Show me, then,” she finally said, “And if you hurt him, I swear…”

Geppetto nodded. Slowly (and it was not easy on his old knees), he made his way over to his father. His heart in this throat, he kissed him then quickly sat back. It worked. His father now sat on the chair, looking around confused and afraid. “Donna!” he said when he saw her, jumping up and scrambling over to her.

“Steven!” She dropped the poker and embraced him.

Geppetto sighed and relaxed. At least they were both awake. Perhaps they were angry or scared, but they were here and safe. Pinocchio slowly got to his feet, then reached out to help Geppetto up. Geppetto took his hands. He looked up when he heard his mother’s voice. “Geppetto? Is it really you?”

He nodded, fighting tears. His father was stunned. “Our Geppetto? Donna, what happened? How long has it been?”

“Sixty-one years,” Pinocchio said calmly. “Not counting Regina’s curse.”

“Regina?”

“It’s a long story. Have a seat; we’ll explain.”

XxXxXxX

Jiminy watched as August coaxed his grandparents to sit. Geppetto eventually lost his fight with tears, and Donna embraced him as if no time had passed. Jiminy should have been glad, but instead, for the first time in a very long time, he was afraid - so afraid that he was couldn’t move. He knew he should introduce himself, to apologize for what he had done, but he could not. He’d taken their lives from them. Their home, their land, their son’s childhood - it was gone. No matter what happened next, Jiminy could never, ever restore to them what was lost.

Oblivious to his struggle, August called his name. “Jiminy? You want to come out now?”

Steven and Donna looked at each other. They recognized his name. “Jiminy?” Donna asked in suspicious disbelief.

“He’s changed,” August said hastily. “He can explain. Jiminy? Where’d you go?”

Nervously, he stepped out from behind the teapot. The fluttering of his wings caught August’s attention. “There you are! Don’t hide like that; I was starting worry we’d squished you.”

Donna and Steven gasped. “What… what is that?” she asked August.

“That’s Jiminy,” he said. “He’s a cricket. And he can talk. Jiminy, say something so they don’t think I’m crazy.”

Too paralyzed to say anything, Jiminy just fluttered his wings again. “My friend?” Geppetto asked in concern.

“Is he cursed?” Donna asked.

“No,” August said, confused. “Jiminy?”

“I’m sorry,” he said. He wasn’t sure what else to say.

Donna and Steven jumped. “You can talk!”

“Yes… I…”

“Were you cursed too?” Donna asked.

“No. I am… this is my penance.”

“Penance?” Steven asked darkly. 

“Yes, I…” It had been a very long time since Jiminy had had to apologize for the sins of his former life. Everyone he had ever stolen from or harmed was dead. Except Geppetto. And now Steven and Donna. “I never intended for you to be cursed; I didn’t realize that my parents had switched the curse with the potion they sold you. I am so sorry.”

“Then you are him? Your parents where the thieves who cursed us?”

“Yes.”

“I see,” Donna said. “Why did they curse us? We had already given them everything valuable that we owned.”

“It was… the curse was mine. I… I intended it for them. They found it and switched the bottles. I did not realize that until after you had already… been transformed.”

“You intended to curse your own parents?” Steven asked.

“Yes.”

“Why?” Donna asked.

“To escape. They wouldn’t let me leave them. I was desperate,” he confessed. “I made a deal with Rumplestiltskin.”

“The Dark One!” Steven exclaimed, making the sign to ward off the evil eye.

“And then he took us? As we were?” Donna asked.

“Yes.”

“I’d like to point out that Jiminy did ask the Blue Fairy for help in changing you back, and she deliberately mislead him,” August said. “She let him think there was no way to do it. He would have helped, if she’d told him the truth.”

“The Blue Fairy? But she is supposed to be good,” Donna said.

“Yeah,” August said darkly, “ _Supposed_ to be.”

“Why would she do that?”

Jiminy (and Geppetto) let August explain most of that tale. It was colored by his bitterness (and his guilt, when it came to Emma), but nothing he said was untrue. Jiminy added just a few points, events that August had not witnessed but he had (mostly having to do with Snow), and it was late before the story was fully told.

“My,” Donna said, “You’ve been through so much. All three of you.”

“It’s a lot to take in, I know,” August said.

“Yes,” Steven agreed.

Geppetto watched through worried eyes, his hands ever restless. “Jiminy… arranged a place for you to sleep with Queen Snow.”

“Thank you,” Donna said, in pleased surprise.

“It is late,” Steven said. “Perhaps this will make more sense in the morning.”

“Yes,” Geppetto said hopefully.

Donna got up and embraced her son again. “Thank you,” she said, “For not forgetting about us.” As they let go, she looked at Jiminy. “And thank you. For taking care of him.”

“I couldn’t do anything else,” Jiminy said.

She smiled. “And that’s why I’m thanking you.”

XxXxXxX

They were still looking for a way to send Wendy home and were preparing for a great battle against Zelena, but somehow Bae was more relaxed than he had been… well, since before the Duke started drafting his friends.

As much as he had had friends back then (Morraine had been the exception). Now, it seemed he had more friends than he knew what to do with. Archie, Wendy, August, and Nova, of course, Geppetto and Leroy, Tink, and the Lost Boys, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff - even Gaston and LeFou, who had petitioned Snow to take responsibility for the Lost Boys (“He always wanted sons,” Belle had said with a smile) and now Geppetto’s parents, who were eager to make friends with anyone who was friendly with their son and grandson (and could help explain this new time they found themselves in). 

It was strange. And wonderful. The curse of the Dark One had loomed over Bae’s life so long, and now it was gone. And Papa was adjusting. Slowly, but he was more patent now, slower to anger. He was still afraid, Bae knew, but he was dealing with it, not hiding away. Belle wouldn’t allow it, and neither would Bae.

And there was too much to do.

“Again,” Papa told Elsa.

“But I did it right!”

“With effort. Against Zelena, you must be able to act instinctively. Your instinct is still to run, to hold back in case you lose control; you must learn to trust yourself.

“You keep saying that, but how do I do that?”

“By knowing the spells as well as you know your own name. If you have cast a thousand fireballs successfully, you can trust that you can do it again when it counts.”

“A thousand?” Elsa asked in disbelief.

“Can’t you see she’s tired?” Anna objected. 

“Of course she is; if learning magic was easy, everyone would do it,” Papa said.

Anna huffed. “Is this something I can use against Ingrid?” Elsa asked.

“Probably. Like you, her instincts call for ice; she will not expect fire.”

“What about the other stuff she does? My memories?”

“Ah. That is derived from the traditions of your rock trolls.”

“Can you teach me that?”

“I can, although I wonder what reason you would have for wanting to steal a person’s memories.”

“I don’t want to steal them; I want to restore them.”

“I see. Unfortunately, Ingrid literally took them from you. She possesses them in an orb; the only way to restore them is to take it back. If she had only sealed them away, that would be a different issue; there are potions for that.”

Papa had been doing a lot of work with potions. That had made Bae nervous at first; he’d been concerned that Papa would simply trade one form of magic for another, but he’d been able to keep perspective. It didn’t hurt that Belle insisted on being his assistant.

“Are you going to teach me potions?” Elsa asked.

Papa looked at her. “You asked to learn how to defeat your aunt; potions aren’t quite that… offensive.”

“I want to learn everything that could help,” she said.

Papa looked thoughtful. “Very well. We can attempt potions.” Elsa sighed in relief. “ _After_ you have mastered fireballs.” Elsa huffed.

XxXxXxX

“I might have another lead,” Regina told Mal.

“Oh?” the blonde asked, listening eagerly. Blue was simply beyond their reach for now. Mal had experimented with some fairy dust and determined with certainty that only a fairy with her fairy wings could enter the Glade. They’d had no other ideas since then, and Regina had finally sucked it up and gone to Sydney, asking about anything he might have overheard from Anna and Elsa (the brunette had taken it upon herself to befriend the genie, and Regina had been happy to let her - she’d been reasonably good at keeping Sydney occupied).

“Apparently, this Ingrid may have had contact with the Sorcerer since her last encounter with Rumple. He thinks she might have allied with him.”

Regina had asked Mal about Ingrid previously, simply curious about another witch that had somehow flown under her radar. Mal hadn’t known much about her either, although she knew a fair bit about the spell of Shattered Sight - it was her kind of magic, after all. “And I don’t suppose he has any idea where she might be?”

“None. She’s blocked scrying spells and mirror magic. Rumple apparently has something of hers-”

Mal snorted, “Of course.”

“Of course. But she’s blocked the standard tracking spell too. I was thinking maybe the dragon might be able to sniff her out?”

“Well, the dragon would like to stretch her wings a bit; that cave was rather cramped,” she said mildly. It always threw Regina when Mal referenced her imprisonment like that; she was still conditioned to expected retribution at every reminder of her past transgressions. It had taken several meetings for Regina to realize that the casual references were Mal’s retribution.

She refused to flinch. “Do you think you could find her?”

“I don’t know, but it’s worth a try.”

Regina nodded.

Mal took a sip of her tea. “So tell me about this man with the lion tattoo.” 

Regina almost spit out her own tea. She glared at Mal’s little, knowing smile. “There’s nothing to tell,” Regina said loftily. “He’s a thief. He’s been useful and has a son; that’s all.”

“Are you sure?” she teased.

“Quite sure.”

Mal put her cup down. “You know Regina, if we do find the Apprentice, you’re going to have to make some decisions. Are you ready and willing to give up all your magic and power if that is the choice the Apprentice gives you?”

“Of course. Are you?” she shot back.

“Of course. But then, I’ve had longer to think about this than you have. Have you thought about the fact that you would never see the thief again, as well?”

She had, actually, and that was only one of a long list of reasons why nothing could happen between them. Henry was her priority; she didn’t have time for anything (anyone) else. “Why would I?” she answered airily. “He doesn’t matter to me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!”

Maleficent sighed. If she had been Snow, Regina knew, she would have given her some sappy speech about regret and missed opportunities. But Mal wasn’t Snow - Thank God. “So what can you tell me about this weather witch?” she asked instead.

Regina nodded decisively and passed along every tidbit Sydney had shared.

XxXxXxX

“Queen Regina!” Robin Hood hailed. “Where are you off to on this fine afternoon?” He knew the answer to that, of course; the entire castle now knew about the weekly battles between Elsa and Regina. Elsa had now improved enough that the Merry Men (and others) had begun to bet on the outcome. Oh, Regina still won every time, of course, but how many hits would Elsa land? How many spells would it take to end the bout? The men found it reasonable entertainment during the long winter. Robin, naturally, never bet against Regina.

“You can quit the act,” she said, refusing to stop, “It’s not charming.”

“I should hope not; I’d hate to have to challenge the Prince for his title.”

That got her to stop walking. “Because you know you’ll lose?” she teased.

“Because I could be charged with treason when I won,” he boasted.

She almost laughed, instead twisting her lips in that way he found so fetching. “Why don’t you find something useful to do? I’m busy.”

“Busy with what?”

“Don’t act stupid - I know your men place bets on these little battles between me and Elsa.”

“Ah, yes, I may have heard something to that effect…”

“Then run along and let me get to it; magic is what we need against Zelena, not… arrows.”

That seemed a good enough opening for the overture he had meant to make all along, and he took it. “Would you care for an escort, Queen Regina? As I understand it, Queen Elsa has a number of supporters at each bout; seems only fair that you have some as well.”

Her eyes went wide for a moment, but she rallied quickly. “I don’t need your support.”

“I did not mean to imply that you did. But perhaps… you may want it?”

She actually considered it. Then she shrugged and said, “Do what you like; I don’t care,” and started walking. Grinning, he followed.

XxXxXxX

“Hello, Robin,” Bae said when he spotted the outlaw with Regina. He knew the rumors about the two of them, of course. He didn’t consider it any of his business, really, but anything that improved Regina’s stability was fine with him. He did wonder why Robin seemed utterly unbothered by Regina’s past actions, but then Belle accepted Papa’s past, so who was Bae to argue?

“I see you’ve kept that bow in good condition - good lad.” 

Perhaps it was simply that Robin was a very placid person. He didn’t seemed to bear Papa any ill will either, and Papa had apparently tortured him at one point. And he hadn’t asked for his bow back. “It was fair payment for the wand,” he’d said, “and besides, you need it more than I do!”

In any case, Bae liked the man. “Yes. Are you joining us today?”

“I thought I would, if the combatants have no objections.”

“I already told you, do as you like,” Regina said, sweeping her cloak behind her.

“I don’t mind,” Elsa said. “Just don’t make fun.”

“You highness, I would never.”

“And call me Elsa.” Regina tensed, and Robin clearly saw it. “I’m not Queen here,” Elsa continued. Robin smiled roguishly.

“You may not rule here, but you are a Queen everywhere, your highness.” 

“Well?” Regina snapped, “Let’s get on with it. I have other things to do today, you know.”

“Like what?” Bae asked, receiving an expected glare.

Smirking he stepped back, followed by Anna, Kristoff, and Papa. Robin staked a place on the other side, clearly there for Regina. Regina didn’t even give Elsa a warning before she sent a fireball her way. Elsa’s shield caught it, slowly freezing it into a lump of ice that fell to the ground.

“So you have improved,” Regina said. “Good,” and she raised her hand, clenching it into a fist. A blast of wind nearly knocking Elsa off her feet, but she was able to redirect it, causing Regina to stumble and her black cloak to snap loudly behind her.

It became a pitched battle after that, attracting more spectators as it went on. Elsa had never been able to hold her own this long, and Bae thought Anna might yell herself hoarse from cheering. In the end, Elsa succumbed to desperation and conjured a cascade of snowballs to pummel Regina with. Regina lashed out with a cleverly directed fireball, which melted the snow under Elsa’s feet, which then instantly turned to ice. Another fireball, and Elsa tried to dodge, only the slip on the ice and fall on her butt. Panting, Regina grinned in triumph, while Robin whooped and Elsa only started laughing. 

Anna and Kristoff, who’d been about to groan in disappointment, Bae thought, started laughing too, and hurried over to Elsa (well, Anna hurried - Kristoff was more sedate) deliberately sliding on the ice. Bae picked up a handful of snow and started shaping it. “I do hope you don’t intend to hit me with that,” Papa said.

“Not you,” he said with a grin. He’d noticed the Lost Boys sneaking into the courtyard during the battle. He spotted one of the twins looking the other way and aimed.

“Oi!”

“What?”

“Someone hit me!”

“Wasn’t me!”

“Doesn’t matter!” the twin quickly lobbed a handful of snow at his brother.

“Oi!”

As Bae had expected, the battle exploded after that. The Lost Boys (and Wendy) jumped in with gusto, immediately joined by Anna and Kristoff. Elsa, of course, was not far behind them, and with her involved, the courtyard was immediately filled with drifts and piles suitable for cover and forts. 

Gaston and LeFou could not resist showing off to the Boys, and brought in military tactics. Robin jumped immediately to Regina’s defense, although her magic was far more effective than his snowballs. Belle (who had also arrived during the battle with Nova, Leroy, and August) took cover with Papa, while Nova dragged Leroy into the thick of it. A campaigner himself, Leroy soon emerged as the rival general to Gaston, and the courtyard divided along battle lines.

August had tried to retreat, but Anna had pelted him thoroughly. He’d stood in place and whimpered like a confused puppy until Anna had rushed over to apologize. As soon as she got close enough, he’d shoved an armful of snow down the back of her dress, and the pause in the fighting only erupted into a greater battle.

Bae took cover long enough to build himself an armful of ammunition, then hurried up the staircase that led to the parapet. But the parapet was not his destination; the staircase up to it wound around above Papa and Bell’s hiding spot. August saw and followed him, his hands empty, but grinning. Bae turned and made a signal to be quiet, and August nodded. They took the staircase as quietly as they were able, and peeked over to see Papa and Belle kissing behind an empty cart. Elsa’s drifts had managed to make it up this far, and August gathered an armful of loose snow, inclining his head. Bae nodded and readied his own snowballs, but immediately changed his aim towards Regina when she flicked her hand, causing all the snow that had gathered on the handrail to rain down on Papa and Belle.

Regina yelped, obviously having not expected retribution. The answering hail of snowballs was worth it.

XxXxXxX

“I think we missed a great battle,” David said, grinning at Snow.

The kitchen had been overrun with children and adults (even including Rumplestiltskin), in various stages of thawing out from what had apparently been a truly epic snowball fight.

“Yes. Too bad we missed it.”

“We shall not see its like again. Or, at least, I won’t,” August said, huddled around a fire pit. “I think my fingers are going to fall off.”

“Not into my soup, they’re not,” the head cook scolded. “All of you hooligans, gather up your wet things and get out of my kitchen!”

“We’re not hooligans,” one of the twins objected.

“We’re Lost Boys.”

“And we won.”

They both nodded. “Yup.”

“You wish,” Grumpy said, “ _We_ won.”

“I think Robin is finally making headway with Regina,” August said, trying to dodge the cook but stay close to the fire at the same time. “So I’d say _he_ won.”

David and Snow exchanged a look. David still had misgivings about Regina, but Snow wanted so badly for her stepmother to finally find her happy ending that he could be hopeful that August was right. “I’m talkin’ about the battle, sister,” Grumpy said, “No one wants to hear about her highness’ love life.”

“Oh. Then Elsa won - she was the last one standing.”

“She doesn’t count,” one twin said.

“She’s the Snow Queen,” said the other.

“It’s not fair.”

“Not fair at all.”

“I said out!” the cook repeated, chasing the boys with a broom. “The evening meal won’t prepare itself!”

“You can always put them to work,” Rumplestiltskin offered, standing off to the side with Belle.

“Oh, I’ll not be making that mistake again! You should see what these two did with my potatoes! I’ve limited supplies as it is; out, all of you!”

Smirking, Rumplestiltskin gave a cordial, little bow and led Belle out of the room. Bae quickly followed them, smirking. It had been curious to see how Rumplestiltskin had changed since being parted from his curse. He’d been earnest and essentially harmless as a peasant without memories of course, but he became even more of a puzzle after he had remembered. He was still cunning, manipulative, and sharp, but he was not imp he had been, or even the man he had been in Storybrooke. David couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something about the man was simply… less treacherous.

Snow decided to give the cook a hand and applied her royal influence to chasing the Lost Boys out the kitchen, while also getting the blow-by-blow of the snowball fight. She was, as David would have expected, especially interested in what Tink and August had to say about Robin and Regina. The four of them, joined by Jiminy, ended up taking tea in the library, where Snow also asked about the possibility of taking on the Lost Boys as part of the Royal Guard once they were old enough.

“I think that would depend of the boy,” Jiminy said. “Some of them are not comfortable with structure, and they have all spent far too long surrounded by violence. Sir Gaston has mostly been training them in hunting and survival skills; an actual military environment may prove to be too much for them.”

Snow nodded. “I will remember that, thank you.”

“You could make them royal hunters,” Tink suggested. “It’s what they been doing anyway; supplying the castle with meat.”

Snow looked down at her tea, her expression suddenly far away. “Royal Huntsmen - that’s an idea.”

David had only met the Huntsman briefly; having still been with his mother when Snow was driven out by Regina and then spending nearly the entire curse comatose, but Snow had spoken fondly of him before. Instating the Lost Boys as Royal Hunters would be a fine way to honor the man.

Jiminy of course, could not stay long, always having someone who required his attention. He and August left, followed by Tink, and David took the rare opportunity for a moment of privacy with his wife. He kissed her, tugging her into his lap. One thing led to another, and David was grateful that Snow remembered enough of this palace to know how to lock the library door.


	14. Courage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: minor character death

It was well into spring before Elsa was able to best Regina in a battle of magic. There was both mourning and jubilation all over the palace, as the betting on these events had become widespread and large scale. It was, in fact, the favored pastime of the residents, who, now that the roads were clear and logging could continue, were overworked with tasks related to the rebuilding.

But Rumplestiltskin had a different concern; Regina was hiding something.

He’d suspected it for weeks, noticing a pattern of restlessness and increasing anger (which had, he suspected, contributed to her loss to Elsa). He’d considered enlisting Dove (now a bird once again, and perfectly happy to relay messages to the new settlements on behalf of Snow White) to spy on her, but there was a good chance that Regina might notice and take offense. If she turned Dove into something unpleasant in a fit of pique, Rumplestiltskin would be unable to change him back. And, of course, she might simply decide to kill him. Rumplestiltskin had decided it was not worth the risk.

So it came down the subtle machinations that Regina had never mastered, and, fortunately, Rumplestiltskin himself still possessed the skill for. The puppet had reminded him some days ago about their first deal, when Rumplestiltskin had told him that knowledge is power. He hadn’t needed any magic to best Regina then; he shouldn’t need it now. He simply had to think less like the Dark One and more like Mr. Gold.

It took little investigating to learn from the servants that, during the winter, it had not been uncommon for a used tea service to be left in Regina’s quarters with two cups and saucers. However, approximately two months ago, the second cup had disappeared. A few discreet inquires had revealed that Robin Hood had not been Regina’s tea companion, which begged the question: who had been?

The first few cups had been found before the genie was released from the mirror, which eliminated him. Snow was possible, but unlikely, as Regina’s attitude towards her stepdaughter, if anything, had warmed slightly over the winter. Regina’s list of friends was not long, and there was really only one that Rumplestiltskin knew of who was still alive and capable of visiting the palace unseen. And she liked tea.

Rumplestiltskin chose the aftermath of a Council meeting to confront Regina about it. The hall outside the chamber was clear but not deserted; if Regina lashed out, there were half a dozen heroes at hand who would hear. “So what are you and Maleficent fighting about now, dearie?” he asked.

Regina spun around and glared at him. “What?”

“She was visiting you, wasn’t she? And now she’s not, and you’re moping-”

“I am not _moping_.”

“You are. It’s only a matter of time before others start to notice.”

“And why would I care what any of them think?”

“You’re still here.”

“Because Zelena isn’t dead yet!” He gave her an unimpressed look. Regina had never been a very convincing liar. Oh, she could fool a child well enough, men blinded by lust, and desperate souls, but Rumplestiltskin knew full well how easy that was. But to someone who paid attention? She was an open book.

“Why do you even care anyway?” she accused. “Has life without magic become so boring that you must pry into my personal life?”

“Your ‘personal life’ had an unfortunate habit of affecting my plans-”

“And whose fault is that? You’re the one who used me to cast your precious curse! If you’d just left me alone-”

“You’d have never existed. One part of your mother’s tale was true, dearie; she’d have been executed if I had not taught her to spin. And you are the only reason I came to her aid.”

“Whatever,” she huffed. “I am not in the mood to deal with you.”

“I noticed; that is why I am asking. Can we expect a dragon attack any day now? Perhaps a sleeping curse on the entire castle?”

“No,” she sighed noisily. “I’m aware that you think you know everything in the universe, Rumple, but you don’t. Mal and I are not fighting.”

She was quite sincere. _Interesting._ “I’ve never claimed omnipotence; only stories spread by scared peasants ever accused me of that. If you and Maleficent are not at odds, then what has you in such a foul mood? Has she forgotten you? Become distracted by a new lover? She does that from time to time.”

“No.” Regina paced the width of the hallway once, clearly debating the merits and costs of discussing this with him. In the end, her desperation won out. “If you must know, Mal has gone missing.”

He raised an eyebrow. It would take a formidable opponent to imprison or incapacitate The Mistress of All Evil, and the list was now shorter with him no longer on it. But there was another… “Do you suspect Reul Ghorm?”

“Maybe. Mal was poking around the Glade before this happened. But… How much do you know about Ingrid’s powers?” she demanded suddenly. 

He raised an eyebrow. “Enough to know that, if she got lucky, she might be able to trap Maleficent for a time. Why do you suspect Ingrid?” If Ingrid decided to move now, she could prove to be an unpleasant complication in the situation with Zelena. 

“Because Mal went looking for her.”

“Why?” To his knowledge, Ingrid and Maleficent had never met. He did not suspect that they would get along if they had.

“You don’t need to know that,” she said.

“If you want my help, I do.”

“Fine. She’s looking for the Apprentice. I told her your theory that Ingrid had contact with him.”

“What would Maleficent want with the Apprentice?”

“The same thing you want; passage to Earth.”

“Why?”

“None of your business.”

“Hm. When was the last time you heard from her?”

“Four weeks. She’s been gone for nine, but she sent ravens for a while. Then they stopped.”

“She could simply be out of range; we don’t know that Ingrid is even in the Enchanted Forest. She could be in Arendale, or even another world, such as Wonderland. Anastasia stepped into the power vacuum Cora left there, and she’s not a fraction of the witch Ingrid is.”

“That wouldn’t stop Mal; and that crystal ball your son traded to me can’t see her either.”

“I see. Are you certain she’s not bearing a grudge over her ‘punishment’?” Either way was a possibility. Maleficent could plot revenge with the best of them, but she was unpredictable and prone to melancholia; she was just as likely to let the matter drop.

“Yes. We came to an agreement, and Mal doesn’t play games about that kind of thing; you know that. ” _True enough._

“I assume you’ve attempted scrying and tracking spells as well?”

“Of course. Do you have any ideas?” she asked imperiously.

“Hm. To tell you the truth, I was surprised to learn that Ingrid could disguise herself from the orb; that contributed to my hypothesis that she came to some kind of accord with the Apprentice.”

She stopped pacing. “You think Mal found the Apprentice?”

“Or he found her. Perhaps at the behest of Reul Ghorm.”

“Does the Apprentice work for her? I thought he was a free agent?”

“The Sorcerer is a free agent, but shares certain goals with Reul Ghorm. Consider that he, like she, never interfered in the Dark Curse. He could have, but did not.”

“Well, isn’t that a comforting thought,” Regina grumbled. “What do you think he might have done with her?”

“I haven’t the slightest idea. If we can manage to find him, you can ask.”

“And I don’t suppose you’ve had any more bright idea about that?”

“None. And if he has captured Maleficent, he is even more forewarned of us now.” And wasn’t that annoying. Maleficent should have kept her distance.

“Damn it,” Regina snarled. With neither warning nor farewell, she stalked off. Rumplestiltskin did not disagree with her assessment.

XxXxXxX

“David, I have something to tell you,” Snow said. She was nervous. He knew that he had wanted to wait until Zelena was defeated until they had another child, but it wasn’t as if the Enchanted Forest had the same birth control options as Storybrooke. But surely he would see this as a blessing? He missed Emma as much as she did. While this new child could never replace her, he (or she) would be would be theirs from the beginning, through all the milestones they had missed with their firstborn. Emma would want them to move on.

“What is it?”

She smiled, hoping to put his at ease. “We’re pregnant.”

“You… I thought we were going to wait?”

“I tried, but sometimes we can’t control these things. But don’t worry, with how Elsa is progressing, I’m sure Zelena will be gone before I give birth.”

He sighed. “I hope so.”

Snow frowned in disappointment. “Aren’t you happy about this at all?” 

He was immediately apologetic. “Yes! Yes, of course. I wanted another baby too. It’s just…”

“You’re worried. I understand. But what’s done is done; can’t we enjoy this as much as we can?”

He gripped her upper arms and smiled. “Of course.” She kissed him.

XxXxXxX

_At last!_ Zelena cackled. The True Love baby she needed was on its way, and she was more than ready to reawaken the curse of Dark One. It wasn’t actually that different than resurrecting a Dark One that had died, she’d learned, she only had to ensure that the curse returned to the host she had selected (Rumple, of course). She’d entertained the idea of becoming the Dark One herself, but was not keen on having a weakness in the dagger; better to keep Rumple in thrall and let him pay the price of the magic - and for spurning her.

But what was dear Charming moping about? She looked back into her portal to see Charming staring into the distance, not nearly as pleased as he ought to look about his forthcoming bundle of joy. _Hm…_

XxXxXxX

“You really can’t resist rescuing princesses, can you?” Regina asked Charming as Rapunzel’s parents greeted their daughter. When Rumplestiltskin had heard about Charming’s little impromptu quest, he had not been surprised to learn how the prince had chosen to cope with his nervousness at becoming a father again. It was always quests with him, even, apparently, for emotional issues that he really should have just discussed with the cricket. 

And he always rushed right in instead of thinking through. There had been a reason that Rumplestiltskin had had to discreetly interfere in the war with King George a handful of times; Charming was not the long-term tactician that his adopted father was (Regina, of course, was just as bad, if not worse, than Charming and Snow - that war had been allowed to play out without his inference).

And rushing in was not what they needed now. While it was true that they had not heard from Zelena in months, Rumplestiltskin knew how long the Wicked Witch had been willing to wait before revealing herself the last time; she was not defeated, and she would return in time, with greater power and possibly allies.

And then there was the issue the Apprentice. Maleficent was still missing, which was deeply troubling. Before, Rumplestiltskin had been wiling to entertain the idea that the Apprentice had simply interfered only as much as he had needed to to regain the Hat, then returned to his seclusion. But if he had captured Maleficent, he may well have plans of some kind. That boded ill.

All in all, Rumplestiltskin was not in the mood to celebrate Charming and Rapunzel’s return with a Royal Ball, but Belle had insisted that he escort her. He couldn’t even dance with his ruined ankle; the night was sure to be a disappointment for both of them. All the same, when Belle took his arm and smiled, he made the effort to smile back.

XxXxXxX

“Why aren’t you dancing?” Nova asked Elsa.

“Oh, ah, I don’t really know how to dance,” the blonde said, twisting her fingers nervously. Rumplestiltskin knew that the Queen’s experience with balls was not positive. And it did not help, he assumed, that Elsa was the most sought after partner for the night. She’d (not so subtly) stuck close to either Regina or himself in attempt to scare off her admirers; it had been fairly effective.

“August can teach you,” Nova offered, still unaware that Elsa’s interests were not directed towards the male of the species. 

“Ah, sorry, no,” the puppet said hastily. He was nearly as uncomfortable as Elsa, unequipped to deal with the rigid formality of the event. Indeed, his obligation to tell the truth (paired with his impulsiveness) could well land him in trouble, particularly with Rapunzel’s extremely stiff and traditional parents. He too, was seeking shelter with those most likely to repel the crowd.

“But you said you knew how to dance,” Nova objected.

“I do. Just, ah, not in a way that’s appropriate for a Royal Ball. Or… anywhere there are sober people.”

Rumplestiltskin, whose own plan of survival essentially hinged on keeping Belle on his arm at all times, snorted. It was refreshing to hear blunt honesty among all the pomp and pageantry. He wasn’t even sure how Snow was funding this event.

“Hear, hear,” the dwarf said (his glower fully earning him the title of ‘Grumpy’). He threw back a glass of wine, clearly wishing it were ale. 

“Aren’t you having fun?” the fairy asked, disappointed, causing the dwarf to sputter.

“Ah…”

The puppet came to his rescue. “Woah, look.” He nodded towards the dance floor, where Robin Hood had somehow persuaded Regina to join him for a dance. The other dancers immediately vacated the floor, and not out of respect. Rumplestiltskin could see the subtle play in her expression that told him Regina was wounded by this, but she did not pause for a moment, letting the outlaw lead her in a simple waltz. Casting a disapproving stare at her guests, Snow quickly grabbed her Prince and joined them, with Anna and Kristoff not far behind, followed by Nova and Grumpy.

Belle tugged on his arm. “Let’s dance,” she said.

Rumplestiltskin frowned; he’d been dreading that request. “Belle, I…” he looked down at his cane. He couldn’t give her what she wanted (and deserved); the night they had waltzed in the Dark Castle would be their last. 

She squeezed his hand fondly. “There’s plenty of room on the floor. And look at how Regina is stumbling; it’s all right if we go slow.”

Regina was stumbling. In the tradition of the royalty of her region, Cora had not allowed young Regina to learn to dance. The fashion had been to keep a young lady a blank slate, so that her future husband would teach her the dances of his kingdom during the balls of their courtship. Leopold, more interested in his daughter than his future wife, had taken his King’s prerogative to skip that step. Considering it was a metaphor for virginity, the fact that the man had preferred to dance only with his daughter had struck quite a few people as unsavory, but Leopold had never really cared for the conventions of the court. Or Regina’s feelings on the matter. _If he had been a better husband, I might never have found Bae._

Belle took his silence as reluctance. “If you really don’t want to…” She was disappointed; he could not allow that.

“No,” he said, slowly leading her onto the floor and frantically thinking of a way to modify the steps around his cane, “We’ll improvise something.” 

Her answering smile was worth the risk of looking like a fool.

XxXxXxX

After the one and only dance of the (former) Evil Queen, the party settled back down into the same pattern of utter monotony. Formal events like this had never been August’s forte, and after meeting Rapunzel’s parents, he decided to stay as far out of the way as possible to prevent a potential international incident. 

Although, as the night dragged on, August was starting to suspect a magical incident would be more likely. Elsa was clearly not used to crowds, and she was running out of polite ways to turn down dances. Anna was having too much fun to notice that her sister was uncomfortable, and, on top of it all, Regina was clearly getting fed up with the whole affair.

Her dance with Robin Hood had apparently not been one of those magical Disney dances that heralded a happy ever after, because she kept trying to wave him away after that, getting snappish when he tried to follow her. Looking morose, the outlaw finally let her go.

Strangely enough, she headed to where Elsa, Tink, August, and Jiminy had been taking shelter with Belle, Bae, and Rumplestiltskin (magic or no - and many of the guests did not actually know that Rumplestiltskin had lost his powers - few people wanted to approach the Dark One). 

“Uh, hi,” August said, as Regina whipped out her black fan and stood with them without saying a word. Her expression made him think of burning ogres.

“Did you need something, dearie?” Rumplestiltskin asked.

“No.”

“Then why come over to us?” Belle asked.

August spotted a hopeful figure out of the corner of his eye and guessed, “Sydney?”

She glared at him but said, “Yes.”

“He’s coming this way.”

She sighed and snapped her fan shut, “I _don’t_ want to deal with him.”

“He just wants a kind word from you,” Elsa said. Sydney had latched on to Anna, which in turn meant that he spent a fair bit of time with Elsa. She felt bad for the genie and had been hoping Regina might warm up to him. Based on what he knew of their story, August was not betting on it.

“This is none of your business, snow-cone.”

The glass in Elsa’s hand iced over, and August took a step back. Watching the weekly duels between Elsa and Regina could be fun, but only at a safe distance. “I know what you did,” Elsa said, “You led him on so you could use him, and then discarded him when you were done. And still he cares for you; the least you can do is talk to him.”

August was actually pretty sure that she had been talking to the former magic mirror regularly. He’d even asked Rumplestiltskin if he thought that she had Glass gathering information for her, and he had agreed. With Regina no longer their enemy, there really wasn’t anything sensitive to pass on, but it was damn manipulative of Regina if you asked him. Which, of course, no one had.

“And say what?” Regina snapped back. “You’ve never dealt with anyone like Sydney.”

“I would be happy to help you mediate,” Jiminy said from his perch on August’s shoulder. 

“I’m afraid your efforts would be wasted, “ Rumplestiltskin said. Then he turned to Regina. “Admit it, dearie, the only reason to haven’t sent him away yet is that he is the only soul in this castle that you can still command.”

“That’s not-”

“Yes, it is,” he said knowingly, taking a sip from his own glass.

She took a step back. “You knew all along!”

“Of course I did.”

“Damn you, Rumple!” She stormed off, attracting stares from all over the room.

“Am I wrong, or was that her admitting she’s still using him to spy on us, like we suspected?” August asked Rumplestiltskin.

“You are not wrong.”

“She…?” Elsa gaped. Tink just sighed.

“I was really hoping she was finally going to do the right thing,” she lamented.

“Hey now,” Jiminy said, “She has made progress. I’ve been speaking with Sydney also. I think there is hope for both of them to move on from their pasts.”

“What hope?” Tink asked bleakly.

“I’m afraid I cannot get into specifics without violating my confidence with Sydney.”

“There’s no doctor patient confidentiality here,” Rumplestiltskin reminded him. Belle gave him a disappointed look.

“Papa,” Bae scolded. Rumplestiltskin sighed lightly.

“Of course we understand, Archie,” Belle said hastily. 

“I don’t suppose,” August said, “That there’s any way we can leave too without making a scene?” The ball had gone from boring to boring and awkward with a chance of magical outburst; August wanted out.

“Now that’s an idea,” Tink said. She’d warmed up to him over the winter. They’d even had a few encounters in the library that had culminated in kissing and heavy petting. Like Nova, she’d gained no physical experience in her time as a fairy, and she’d hardy had the chance after losing her wings, so August was more than happy to offer his services. She wasn’t interested in romance, and he just wasn’t wired for it, so it worked out fine.

“There’s a hidden servants’ entrance behind the dessert table,” Rumplestiltskin said, eyeing it.

Belle sighed. “You aren’t having fun, are you?” she asked him, disappointed.

He looked abashed. “Ah…”

“I’m not really, either,” Belle confessed. “Let’s go,” she said with a sly grin.

“I should tell Anna,” Elsa said.

“I’ll do it,” Bae volunteered. 

“I will inform Snow,” Jiminy said. August grimaced. He’d forgotten to ask Jiminy if he even wanted to leave. As his official assistant at this event (meaning his job was mainly to act as a perch), if he left, Jiminy would have to as well.

“You, ah, don’t mind us leaving?” he asked.

“To be honest, I’m happy for the excuse.” 

“All right,” August said with a grin.

“Where should I tell Anna to meet you?” Bae asked Elsa.

“Um…”

“How about the library?” August said. “I said I’d teach you poker.”

“Yes,” Belle agreed. “Rumple’s been teaching me, but it really requires a group to play it properly.”

Elsa smiled nervously, “All right.”

In small groups, they made their way across the room towards the dessert table. Tink, sharp from years in Neverland, scouted the crowd expertly, signaling when it was safe for someone to duck around the table and through the servants’ entrance (it was one of those hidden ones, designed to be an unobtrusive as possible. Heaven forbid a servant actually be noticed at a Royal Ball).

August, having waited for Jiminy, was the last one through other than Tink. They waited in the spare, narrow passageway for her, and he grinned when she appeared, sighing and shaking out her sparkly, green shoulder wrap. Royal Balls were clearly not her thing either. “Mission successful?” he asked.

“Well, no one raised an alarm, so I think the worst thing that happens might be a stern talking-to tomorrow.”

“I think I can deal,” he said. “You in for the card game?”

“I don’t know,” she said, walking beside him (only possible in this narrow passage because her gown was far less poofy than Belle’s or Snow’s).

“It will be Rumplestiltskin against novice players and a guy who can’t lie; it’s sure to be a slaughter.”

“Oh, when you put it like that…” 

XxXxXxX

“Please, my Queen, have I done something to upset you?” Sydney asked.

Regina sighed. “No. Rumple knew what we were doing, that’s all. Nothing new; I should have expected it.”

“And what about the outlaw? Did he upset you?” His tone was far too hopeful.

“No,” Regina snapped. “He didn’t do anything wrong.”

Sydney frowned. “What would you have me do?”

That was the question, wasn’t it? She didn’t love Sydney; she never had. She’d never even considered him a friend. He was too easy to manipulate. He didn’t challenge her like Mal, or encourage her like her father. In truth, his slavish devotion was both repugnant and addictive. _Like the magic._

She’d learned how to keep the magic from consuming her, but Sydney… They had nothing to build on. He was still in love with her, and every kind word from her only made him more malleable, which only tempted her to use him. 

“Did you have any thoughts about finding Maleficent or the Apprentice?” she asked.

“None, my Queen, but if you wish me to search myself, I will leave at once.”

“You have no magic,” she said.

“But I am still immortal, and with the skills I remember from Storybrooke, I believe I can still be of use to you.”

“Everyone knows your face now,” she said, “They know you work for me.”

“Not everyone,” he said, “Only those from the Enchanted Forest. There are other realms. The Apprentice could be in Agrabah for all we know.”

There was something new behind his eyes. A certain understanding. He knew what she’d been trying to talk herself into doing. “You want to go home, Sydney?” she asked coyly. Even now, she couldn’t be truly honest with him.

“Beside you is the closest I have ever come to home. But there are parts of the world I would like to see again, no longer a slave to the lamp.”

Part of her wanted to scream that he couldn’t leave. Everyone else had left her: Daniel, her parents, Henry, and now Mal. She’d be alone in this nest of vipers if she let him go.

Wouldn’t she?

Robin and Roland came to mind, then Snow. Even Elsa, who, win or lose, always seemed to look forward to their weekly bouts. And Sydney had been such an afterthought that she’d forgotten all about him until Rumple had said something. 

Sydney was her past; she had to let him go.

“Agrabah is a good idea,” she said, not looking at him. “Mal might even be there; she doesn’t care for cold weather. Rumple thinks she might have found a new lover; gotten distracted.”

“Then I shall leave at once. How long would you have me look, if I am unable to find her there?”

“As long as it takes. You’re immortal aren’t you? Take your time. Be thorough.”

“And if it takes a hundred years?”

She looked at him. “Then you’ll have to find a new Queen, won’t you?”

It wasn’t an apology, and he’d never asked for one. It was too late for that, even if Regina had been the apologizing type. He still smiled knowingly and reached for her hand. She let him take it. His kissed it, giving her a courtly bow.

“I have lived many centuries, my Queen, but I learned more in my time with you than in all those others years combined. Thank you.”

She swallowed hard, then waved dismissively. “Get a move on, then.”

“Farewell.”

XxXxXxX

“Wait!” August objected, as Tink grabbed the cards he’d left on the table.

She looked at them. “A pair of fours? I thought you said you couldn’t lie?”

“I can’t,” he said, “Bluffing isn’t lying.” 

“It’s deceptive,” Rumplestiltskin pointed out.

“Not enough to trigger my condition, apparently.”

“Your condition?” Elsa asked.

“Ah… when I lie, or behave selfishly, or cowardly, I start turning onto wood.”

Elsa gaped. “Are you cursed?”

“No. I’m not- I didn’t start out human. I started out as a puppet. I had the earn the right to be human, and I have to meet certain conditions in order to keep it.”

“A puppet… you were like Olaf?”

“Kinda.”

“But you don’t like being a puppet?”

“Well, it’s better than not being alive at all, and it has its uses, sometimes, but I prefer being human. People stare less. And… dating… is more fun.”

Tink snickered. Elsa looked at Rumplestiltskin. “Could I make Olaf human?”

“Possibly, with sufficient training and if you had a copy of Reul Ghorm’s spell. The question is - would the snowman like to be human?”

“I don’t know. He never seemed unhappy being a snowman. But if I’m not around in the summer, he could melt without me.”

“Well, that sounds like reason to look at humanity,” August said. “Just… know that… it can be hard sometimes, having to earn it, when everyone else gets it for free. There, that’s my honesty for today. Deal, Belle.”

“Does it really work like that?” Bae asked skeptically.

“I haven’t turned back into wood, have I?”

Elsa looked thoughtful as Belle dealt the next hand. “Would you like to be human?” the blonde asked Jiminy.

“That’s an interesting question,” the cricket said. “Before, I didn’t much like myself when I was human, but after becoming human again in Storybrooke, I’d say there are some things I miss. But then there are good things about being a cricket too. I couldn’t fly when I was human, for example.”

“I see. I should talk to Olaf about it, when I see him again. If I see him again.”

“You will,” Belle said, “I know it.”

Elsa smiled shyly.

XxXxXxX

After so many setbacks, things were finally going Zelena’s way. Charming had shown her exactly how she could harvest his courage when the time came, and today she would bring the Dark One back into play. 

“Is this it?” Felix asked in a bored tone, looking at the entrance to the vault. Zelena did have to agree that it didn’t look very impressive, but then she knew that - especially with magic - appearances could be misleading.

For example, dear Felix thought he was restoring his beloved Peter Pan to power. It had been an easy enough deception. A memory spell for the boy to forget his time as a flying monkey and a six-leaf clover to convince him that he was speaking to Malcolm rather than Zelena, and he’d followed like a good little boy.

“This is it,” she said. She thought it was adorable that Rumple and his father shared the same exotic accent she’d never heard from anyone else, not even his son.

“So what do we do?”

“You put this key into the lock here, at the center of the seal.”

“Why me?”

“Because it has to be someone loyal to me; you’re the only on who has even really been loyal to me, Felix.” Zelena shoved down the biting anger that even this despicable lay-about had found someone to be loyal to him, when Zelena had been rejected and tossed over for someone else by everyone she had ever known. Well, she was going to get Rumple back, whether he liked it or not. And then, when her plans came to fruition, she would have her mother, just as she had deserved from the beginning.

Felix smiled tightly at her. “All right, here it goes.” He shoved the key in, gasping as it burned his palm. He dropped to his knees, and as his life drained away, Zelena watched the curse bubble up, slowly at first, then quickly forming ribbons of oozing darkness that rose into the air. They started reaching for her.

She’d been expecting that. She’d actually been calling to it, although Felix had not noticed. The curse needed both a sacrifice and a host. Her own magic (she still maintained that wicked was not quite the same as dark, but she did not expect the curse to appreciate the nuances) made her an ideal target. She conjured her broom and took flight, leading the curse on a merry chase towards Regina’s castle.

It turned out to be faster than she expected, and it nipped at her heels like a pack of slavering wolves, but she used magic to transport herself in a series of jumps until the towers of the castle were in view. If she had her timing right (and she always did), Rumple would be with that little snow witch in the courtyard, training her to fight.

Zelena cackled.


	15. We All Fall Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: sexual assault, psychological manipulation/torture, & implied rape

Rumplestiltskin shivered. “Is something wrong?” Elsa asked. “Am I making it cold? I didn’t mean to, I’m just not getting this!”

“No,” he said absently. He was trying to teach her how to transport herself with magic. As with the fire lesson, she was struggling to find a way to link the task to her unique ice powers. 

“Then what is it?”

“I’m not sure.” Something simply felt wrong, like a shift in the wind that heralded a cyclone. His eyes snapped to the horizon, sheltered by acres of trees.

“What are you looking at?” Anna asked. She still insisted on accompanying her sister to every lesson; it could be tiresome.

“Papa?” Bae added. He, too, tended to come more often than not, having decided that magic was less threatening when he understood how it was done.

“Get inside, Bae,” he said. He didn’t know what was coming, only that it was a threat. “I think Zelena may have decided to make her move.”

“Zelena!” Anna exclaimed, “Where?”

“I don’t… no.” He could feel it. Hear it. Whispering in the back of his mind. He knew this power. It was _his_ power. His curse. The curse of the Dark One. “Inside, all of you!”

But it was too late. It appeared over the top of the trees and flowed towards them with inexplicable speed. It needed a host. And it had found one. Elsa shrieked as it descended upon her.

“ELSA!” Anna screamed.

The temperature dropped, and jagged bolts of ice spread across the ground from under Elsa’s feet. Rumplestiltskin looked desperately at his son. “Bae, I have to! I have to take it back; if I don’t, she’ll destroy us all!”

Perhaps it was a betrayal. Perhaps he just wanted it back. As horrifying as it was, even being in such close proximity to it made his blood sing. He did want it back. But more importantly, Elsa could never contain it. If he didn’t take it back, they would all die. He’d sold his soul to save Bae before. If he had to destroy his relationship with him now, at least he would be alive to hate him.

But Bae did not look at him in disgust. He only nodded, his eyes wide. “I know, I know. Do it!” 

Rumplestiltskin did not hesitate. As snow filled the air, he walked forward and called out to his curse. “Come on, dearie. You don’t want the girl. You want me.” He reached out a hand, and the inky tendrils slowed their mad swirl around Elsa. “I’m the one you want. Come on. Come on! COME AND GET ME!”

The invitation was all it needed. It abandoned Elsa, dropping her to the ground as she sobbed. The whipping ropes of darkness speeded towards him. He let them in.

XxXxXxX

At first, there was nothing. Then he heard the whispers. They were familiar. So familiar that, over time, he’d stopped hearing them as separate from his own thoughts. But now, after months of being free - truly free - of them, he knew them for what they were: the voices of the past Dark Ones.

Next he heard a strong wind through the trees as he somehow… manifested. He immediately knew where he was: the entrance to the vault of the Dark One. He didn’t know why he had been taken here. This hadn’t happened the last time he’d taken on the curse, but then, he’d hardly taken it on in the usual manner this time. He groped for the dagger at his waist. (After he’d recovered his memories, Belle had given it back to him. Lacking the means to place unbreakable wards or send it to his vault, he’d carried it with him everywhere, just for safekeeping.)

Something was wrong. The dagger didn’t speak to him. He pulled it free of its hidden sheath and saw nothing but the ornate detailing that had been left behind after his name had disappeared from the blade. _It’s not real._ Panicking, he tried to summon to the dagger to him, but it would not obey his call. That meant only one thing.

_No. NO!_

_“DARK ONE, I SUMMON THEE!”_

_NO!_

He was pulled against his will back to Regina’s palace. But it was not Regina who held the dagger. His stomach recoiled as his saw the dagger held triumphantly in Zelena’s green hand.

_NO!_

XxXxXxX

Bae had heard the laughter first. The curse had taken Papa… somewhere, and he’d looked around helplessly as Anna and Kristoff had run to the still sobbing Elsa. And then he heard the laughter, that wicked cackle he remembered from the day he broke his father’s curse.

“Zelena,” he said, drawing his bow. “Show yourself!”

“If you insist,” she said, alighting on the grass. She was riding a flying broom, and in her right hand she somehow held the dagger.

“How did you get that?!” he demanded.

She cackled again. “I believe your grandfather calls it Follow the Lady - much easier with magic, of course!” She held the dagger in front of her and commanded, “Dark One, I summon thee!”

The snow had stopped falling, but Elsa was clearly too distraught to be any of use; the curse must have done something to her. “Get back!” Bae ordered Kristoff and Anna. Hopefully, the two of them could get Elsa out of there.

“No!” Anna shouted, “We’re not leaving you here!”

It was too late anyway. “Dark One, I summon thee!” Zelena repeated, and a cloud of purple smoke materialized in front of Zelena, revealing Papa, his skin a mottled patchwork of greenish-gold scales and more human flesh. _What? What does that mean?_

Zelena grinned so widely that Bae could see her canines. “Rumple, dear heart, there you are. You had me nervous for a moment; where did you go?”

“The vault,” he growled, the words dragged out from behind bared teeth.

“Ah. Well, you’re here now, so why don’t we finish what we started when your brat decided to interfere before?”

Papa sobbed. This was his punishment, Bae knew. Making Papa kill him was the worst thing Zelena could do to him, and she knew it. And this time there would be no tricking his way out of this.

“Kill him,” Zelena ordered.

Papa gasped, and his entire body shook as he tried to fight his hand raising itself of its own accord. He couldn’t stop this. Bae was going to die, and Papa was going to have to live with having killed him. “Papa,” he said desperately. “It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault.”

“Silly boy,” Zelena said, “Of course it is.”

“It’s not!”

Papa fell to his knees, but still his hand kept inching its way up. Bae braced himself as Zelena again shouted, “Kill him!”

Then he heard another shout. “NO!” _Elsa._

He forgot how to breathe as he was suddenly transported by her turquoise clouds, now laced with indigo blue. He landed hard on the floor of the library.

“Bae!” Belle exclaimed, dropping her book. “Are you all right?”

Bae shook his head, rolling over and getting to his feet. “Zelena,” he growled.

XxXxXxX

Zelena shrieked as Baelfire disappeared, and she rounded on Elsa. “You’ll pay for that,” she hissed.

And she might. Whatever that black stuff had done, Kristoff could see that she had not nearly recovered from it. She was still sobbing and clinging to Anna. The wind picked up, and the air filled with snow.

And fire. “Get off my lawn, Sis,” Regina snarled, appearing behind Zelena. The green witch barely managed to conjure a shield to protect herself from Regina’s fireball. 

“Oh, just the person I wanted to see,” Zelena said, firing back at Regina. Rumplestiltskin remained on his knees, his head cradled in his hands.

“We need to get Elsa out of here,” Kristoff said. 

“But-” Anna objected.

“We can’t help Rumplestiltskin as long as she has that dagger, and Regina can take care of herself. Anna, we have to go.”

“Fine. Come, on, Elsa.”

“No,” Elsa gasped, “I’m supposed to help…” The snow thickened. Soon, all they could see of Regina and Zelena were the bursts of fire and magic passing between them. But it was also getting very, very cold. 

“Elsa, you have to let up,” Kristoff said, “You’ll freeze us.”

“Come on,” Anna told her, “You can do it, just like before. Pull it back.”

Elsa grit her teeth, and the wind died down, even as the snow thickened. He heard Zelena’s shrill voice, “…along, Rumple. You’ll get the boy next time.” 

He saw two bursts of green through the white, and Regina shouted, “Come back here! I’m not done with you yet!”

“See?” Kristoff told Elsa, “She left. You can stop, Elsa, you did fine.”

“Yes, you did great. You can stop now.” Anna assured her. Breathing hard, her face marked with frozen tears, Elsa nodded. The snow stopped. She collapsed.

XxXxXxX

“You’ll get the boy next time.” The buzzing in Rumplestiltskin’s head stopped, but it was little comfort. She’d granted him a stay only; the next time he laid eyes on his boy, his curse would compel him to kill him. _Bae…_

They appeared in the main hall of his own Dark Castle, already home to a dozen flying monkeys. One of them came up to Zelena, chittering. “Shoo, Malcolm,” she said, brushing snow off her hair and gown, and giving the monkey a dismissive kick. Malcolm moved back a couple of steps, but stayed, watching them.

“There’s no place like home, don’t you agree, Rumple?” Zelena asked brightly.

The curse made him answer. “Yes.” But his home was wherever Bae and Belle were, not trapped in this gaping castle with Zelena.

“You don’t like change, do you? I’d swear, except for the fact that I can’t find those awful puppets anywhere, it looks just like it did the last time I was here.”

Again, he had to answer. “I do not.”

She pointed the dagger at his face like a nun with a ruler. “As long as I have this, you have to answer me, don’t you? Truthfully?”

“Yes.” He glared. The shock was wearing off just enough to allow some anger to the surface.

It only made her grin. “Wonderful! Tell me what your curse did to Elsa’s powers.”

She was sharp, he’d always had to give her that. Elsa’s magic had felt different. Dark. And far too familiar. “I’m not certain,” he said.

“Then theorize.”

“I theorize… that the curse contaminated her magic somehow.”

“So,” she said, sashaying over to him, “Her magic is no longer pure enough to defeat mine?”

“I don’t know.”

“But what do you _think?_ ”

He closed his eyes. “Yes.”

Her laughter cut like a shattering mirror.

XxXxXxX

“What the hell happened out there?” Regina demanded. The princess and the reindeer herder (and how he could still smell like reindeer after thirty years of being frozen and five months in the Enchanted Forest was beyond her) had refused to answer any of her questions while they fussed over the unconscious Elsa. But Rumple’s kid had just come barreling down the hall, the librarian on his heels, and it was to him that she directed her question.

“Zelena got the dagger,” he said, panting from the run. “Did she get away?”

“I _saw_ that she had the dagger, and yes she did, but how was the dagger any good to her? And what happened to Rumple? He looked like some kind of… human Dark One hybrid.”

“His curse,” the boy said. “It must have only been broken, not destroyed. Zelena must have revived it somehow. It tried to take Elsa, but Papa took it back, to save us.”

The librarian had noticed the weather witch on the ground, and she knelt next to Anna. “What happened to her?”

“She just collapsed,” Anna said, “After she got rid of the storm. What did that curse do to her?”

“Rumple’s the only one who could tell you,” Regina said. “How did she even get the dagger?”

“Magic,” Baelfire said shortly. “Fucking magic.”

“Hey,” Kristoff said, “Watch you language.” Regina snorted as the kid seethed.

“Don’t you get it?” he shouted. “She has my father and all his power. She can make him do anything. And he _can_ do anything.”

“Not anything,” Anna said. “He couldn’t open the Sorcerer’s Hat, and he couldn’t cast the Dark Curse. There are things he can’t do.”

“Now is not the time for your ridiculous optimism,” Regina snapped, “He could kill us all; I promise you that.”

“Then why didn’t she order him to, if that’s what she wants?” Anna asked.

“How should I know? Perhaps she just wants the satisfaction of doing it herself. It’s kind of a common villain thing.”

“Good,” Anna said. “We can use that. And remember something, Regina: the villains _always_ lose.”

“I can see why Snow likes you,” Regina muttered.

“Thank you!” she said brightly.

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

XxXxXxX

“Oh, look at them,” Zelena simpered, staring into a portal. Rumplestiltskin stood next to her, his strangely mottled hands clasped in front of him. He didn’t know why he seemed to be stuck between two forms, but that was hardly the matter at hand. He did have full possession of his powers, and it was only a matter of time before Zelena ordered him to use them.

In the portal, he saw Snow’s Council gathered around the table, shouting at each other. Anna and Elsa were conspicuously absent, but Kristoff was there, representing the Arendale contingent. Loudly. “We don’t even know what that stuff did to Elsa!”

“She’s awake, isn’t she?” Regina asked sharply.

“Yes, but she doesn’t remember what happened. All she remembers are voices.”

“What did they say?” Belle asked, and it hurt to hear her voice.

“She doesn’t remember. Bad things.”

“How wonderfully descriptive,” Regina drawled. 

“Oh, listen to her,” Zelena complained, “She thinks she’s so clever.”

While he didn’t disagree, Rumplestiltskin said nothing. As long as she did not order him directly, he did have some leeway in what he could say to her (or not). 

“How is Elsa?” Snow asked, ever the politician.

“Not great,” Kristoff said. “Nova and Tink think they might be able to figure out what went wrong with her magic, but this thing - it messed her up.”

“Really, Rumple?” Zelena asked. “You thought that weak-willed little thing could defeat me? One touch of your curse and she’s a wreck. You know you never had a student who could match me.”

Not true, but Rumplestiltskin did not think it would be a good idea to mention Cora at this time. “Say something!” Zelena snapped.

“Something,” he said dryly. She backhanded him. Now that he was the Dark One again, the blow barely registered, and he simply blinked at her. She brandished the dagger and touched the tip to his throat. He went still.

“Don’t forget who holds this,” she said, grinning darkly. “You’re mine now; you will do as I wish. Understand?”

“I do.”

Her smile widened, and she whipped the dagger away. “Good boy. Now, what did we miss?”

Snow was counseling Regina on patience. It was having less than the desired effect. “Oh, sure, let’s just sit and wait until she comes back to sic Rumple on us,” Regina said.

“I’d say the sarcasm ain’t helping, sister,” Leroy said, “But for once, I agree with you. We need to steal that dagger back.”

“How?”

“Well, you and the thief are cozy, ain’t ‘cha?” Zelena cackled at that suggestion. 

“You really think Robin could steal the dagger back from Zelena?” Regina asked incredulously. 

“Oh, I hope they try,” Zelena said, “It would be so amusing.”

“Well, what’s your suggestion?” the dwarf asked Regina, “Part of the whole you being forgiven thing means you actually _help_ us instead of just complaining.”

“Ogres,” the puppet reminded everyone. 

“And,” Regina insisted, “I chased her off. I was winning that battle before she ran away.”

Zelena snorted. “She wishes.” Rumplestiltskin himself wasn’t sure. He’d been too preoccupied with Zelena’s order to kill Bae to pay attention to the fight between the two sisters. But if Regina had truly forced Zelena to back down, he would not have expected the Wicked Witch to be so cheerful when they’d arrived at the Dark Castle. She hadn’t gone there to kill her sister. She’d gone there for him.

“Please,” Snow said, “We need to stay united, now more than ever. It is imperative that we stop Zelena as soon as possible. Stealing the dagger back would be our best option-”

“If it can be done,” Regina said. “Or you could just be sending Robin there to die.”

“It’s true,” Belle said. “Robin did try to rob the Dark Castle once before. He only made it out alive because Rumple chose to let him go.”

“But that was the Dark One,” the dwarf said, “What about the Wicked Witch?”

“She’s obviously not a dumb as Owen and Tamara, and look what they were able to do with the dagger,” Regina said.

“She does have a point,” the puppet agreed bleakly.

“Why are you taking her side?” the dwarf asked.

“Because she has a point,” the puppet repeated. “Someone has to be the voice of reason.”

“And that’s her?”

“Right now, yes!”

Zelena curled her lip as the dwarf continued, “She just doesn’t want to risk her…”

“My what, dwarf? Pain the ass? Because that’s all the thief is to me, I assure you.”

The dwarf snorted. “Sure.” Regina bristled, and Snow once again called for order.

Not much was accomplished after that. Zelena eventually got bored and terminated the spell. And then she turned on him. He leaned back when she reached for his hair, but that only spurred her to quickly grab a handful of it and pull. The sensation of her hands on him was sickening. _Kill her. Destroy her. She’s going to hurt you. She’d going to break you._

“When will the transformation be complete?” she asked, examining him far too closely. 

“I don’t know.”

She huffed. “Well, how long did it take last time?”

“Minutes.”

“Really? How odd.”

_Destroy her. She thinks she can own you. She thinks she can threaten what is yours._

She glanced down at his belly. “You’ve put on weight. I’m not sure I like it.”

“Fortunately, dearie,” he snapped, “I don’t give a damn what you like.”

“No?” She pointed the dagger at his neck again. “What if I’d like to see you spread your brat’s guts all over the inside of this castle? Would you care then?”

He swallowed hard. “Yes.”

She grinned again, taking a step forward, pressing her body against his and whispering in his ear, “Then I suggest, dear Rumple, that you start caring. You wouldn’t want me to get _bored,_ would you?”

_Destroy her. DESTORY HER!_

_I can’t. I can’t!_

The thought of touching her disgusted him, and he knew that she’d deliberately avoided ordering him to endure it. As it stood now, his curse would allow him to refuse her. That was the point of this; she wanted to be chosen. He’d sold his soul to save Bae before; why did he balk now at selling his body?

_Belle._

He had to betray Belle to protect Bae. And Belle herself. Zelena hadn’t mentioned her yet, but it was only a matter of time; Zelena could not help but be consumed by jealously for anyone who had what she wanted. A parent who loved them. A teacher. A lover.

If he could convince Zelena that she had won, he could keep her attention diverted away from his family. Regina, also, was an effective distraction. And perhaps, if she let down her guard enough, he could get the dagger from her before anything truly untoward happened. “I understand,” he said quietly. _You bow to her? Pathetic! DESTROY her!_

He didn’t move as she kissed the side of his neck. “Good boy.”

He thought of kissing Hodor’s boot. That, too, had been a choice, and he’d killed Hodor for forcing him to make it. He would kill Zelena for this. However long it took, he would get the dagger back and make her pay in blood. 

“Oh! There’s the Rumple I remember.” He panicked for a moment, afraid she’d read his intentions on his face, but no, she only showed him the back of his own hand. It was now entirely scaled.

XxXxXxX

“We’ll get him back,” Belle said.

Once again, Bae wished he had her optimism. These past months, he’d really started to believe that it was over, that the universe had finally decided to let Papa be free of his curse. But now? Papa was not only the Dark One again, he was enslaved to the Wicked Witch. There was no telling what she would make him do. Or what she was doing to him. This had been everything his father had always feared and more.

“It’s not fair!” he shouted. “He gave it up! True Love’s Kiss, that’s supposed to fix everything, right? Well it didn’t. Where the hell are Henry’s happy endings now?”

“We’re not at the end, Bae,” she said. 

“Of course not! We never are! How many villains are we supposed to defeat? Haw many times does he have to make the choice to give up his power? He did it. So many goddamn times he did it, and it just keeps coming back! IT’S NOT FAIR!”

Belle’s eyes misted up, and Bae’s anger was immediately replaced by guilt. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”

“You’re not angry at me,” she said. “I understand that. And you are right. It’s not fair. Good choices should be rewarded, but they aren’t always. And you never deserved to have any of this happen to you.”

He sat heavily on the side of Papa’s bed. “Neither did you. Or Snow. Or David. Emma. The Lost Boys. The kids the Duke sent off to die. The Huntsman. The peasants Regina killed. It’s a lie. The Book is a goddam lie. Happy endings are for… I don’t know who the hell they’re for. Not any of us.”

“You know,” she said, sitting next to him. “August showed me a book, before the curse was reversed. Witches Abroad. I don’t remember the exact quote, but it said something interesting about happy endings.”

“What?” he asked shortly.

“To be a happy ending - a happy ever after - it has to be the end. Of life. We like stories to be neat, to have clear endings, but life doesn’t work like that. So the question is, are we just stories, or are we alive?”

He looked at her. “So the Book is a lie.”

“Maybe. And maybe that’s a good thing. Because it means that, as long as we are alive, it’s not the end yet. We don’t have to accept what’s happened as the end of the story - because it’s not.”

“So what do we do now?” he asked harshly, getting up and beginning to pace.

“We do whatever we have to to get him back. And we never lose hope.”

“Why not? What good is hope when everything always falls apart?”

“Because without it we won’t try, and then it really will be the end. And I refuse to let it end this way. He needs us, Bae; he needs us to help him, to be strong for him. I remember something he told me once.”

“What?”

“We were talking about the curse, how it brought out the weaknesses in people.” He nodded, remembering how David and Mary Margaret had been under the curse. “I asked him what it did to him, how Mr. Gold was different than Rumplestiltskin. Do you know what he said?”

“No.” They’d never talked about it. He hadn’t wanted to talk about it. For most of the time they’d been back in Storybrooke, he hadn’t wanted to see his father at all. It felt like a waste now, all that time being angry.

“He said that Mr. Gold gave up on finding his son. That was the worst thing the curse could do to him, to make him give up hope. As himself, he never, even at his darkest, gave up on finding you again. Can we do any less for him?”

Bae’s eyes burned. “No,” he said.

XxXxXxX

“And here I thought you’d be difficult,” Zelena said, smiling at Rumplestiltskin over the lavish dinner she had prepared. It tasted like dirt. She trailed the toe of her boot up his shin, and he suppressed a shudder. “Could it be that you really did miss me?”

Thank the Gods for vague questions. “It’s possible,” he said enigmatically. Let her read into that what she would.

“So you regret passing me over?”

Well, if he’d known at the time that she’d react like this, or that she’d had the silver slippers, he certainly wouldn’t have been as harsh about it. His answer would count as truthful if he kept it vague enough. And he might be able to distract her with an alternate target for her rage. “There’s a great deal I regret about that time. I regret falling for Reul Ghorm’s ruse at all.”

“Ah, yes,” she said, to his surprise. “She played you rather skillfully, didn’t she? Regina too,” she chortled.

“Yes,” he said plainly. 

“And you let her get away with it,” she said disapprovingly.

“I did not. I took from her the one things she cares about; the people’s faith in her.”

Zelena snorted. “I expected more from you, from the Dark One.” _You never knew a damn thing about me, dearie. You and Regina have that in common._

He shrugged. “Reul Ghorm flatters herself to think that she is worth my time. Let her wither away, as the people abandon her and her followers desert her.”

Zelena gave him a slow smile that made his skin crawl. “True. You do have so many more interesting things to do.” She lifted the toe of her boot higher on his leg, and he swallowed hard. She took that as encouragement. “Have you ever made love on this table, Rumple?”

Humiliated, he had to answer, “Yes.”

She grinned. “Really? Not that silly librarian.”

“No.”

She leaned towards him. “Then who?”

“Cora.”

She sat up, appalled, but on further reflection, seemed intrigued. She leaned towards him again. “I’d ask if you seduce all of your students, but I saw you with that little weather witch; you’re not interested in her.” _I didn’t seduce you. I’ve never seduced anyone except Cora, and she seduced me just as much._

“I’m not.”

Her grin widened. “You weren’t that way with Regina either. I was watching you.”

“I was not.”

“Why not?”

“She had to remain focused on the stable boy, to do what I needed her to do.”

“To cast your curse.”

“Yes.”

She slammed her hand on the table, making the golden flatware jump. “The curse I wasn’t good enough to cast!” she snarled.

“It wasn’t a matter of good enough. It was a matter of which heart I was willing to sacrifice.”

“We could have found a way! You didn’t give me a chance!”

“Curses to do not negotiate; magic sets its own price. The laws of magic cannot be broken.”

She sneered. “That’s where you’re wrong. Just because some old men decided something is impossible, it doesn’t make it so. We could break the laws of magic, you and I!”

A chill passed through him. The laws of magic were immutable. Even his curse was horrified by the idea of attempting to break them. “And why would you want to do that, dearie?”

“Ah, ah,” she scolded. “It’s not time for that yet. Patience. Isn’t that what you always told me?”

He tried flattery in an attempt to pry something more from her; if she was planning on breaking the laws of magic, they were all in terrible, terrible danger. “More Regina than you,” he said. “She is chronically lacking in patience.”

Zelena laughed and took his hand. He forced himself to let her. She stroked her thumb across the back of his knuckles, and something tightened inside him. He wanted to run. His curse wanted to kill her. He couldn’t do either, and it terrified him. “You never even liked her, did you?” she asked

“No.” He’d never liked nobles as a general rule, and her vulnerability surrounding Daniel had reminded him far too much of the helpless man he used to be. And once she’d shed it, she’d been his enemy. He’d never harbored any affection for Regina. Some professional appreciation, perhaps, but that was all.

“But you liked me, didn’t you?”

He had, in his own way. She’d been young and eager, and she’d worshipped him. He’d always been susceptible to that; one only had to ask Cora. “Yes.”

Her eyes sparkled. “I _knew_ it.” And then she was in his lap, both hands tangled in his hair. Everything about her felt wrong, and all he could picture was Bae’s blood running from his hands if he pushed her away now. _Forgive me, Belle, forgive me. I can’t risk my boy._ He had one more option, but knew even before he tried it that it wouldn’t work. He put his hands on her waist, trailing them slowly her hips. His left hand hit a point where it could go no further. His curse prohibited him from taking the dagger from her.

The feeble hope he’d been holding out died with a pathetic cry. He didn’t even realize he’d done it aloud until she bit his ear. “Do that again,” she said. He did.


	16. Desperate Times

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: sexual assault, torture, & implied rape

“Get up!” Regina shouted. She’d given the weather witch three days to get her act together, and the little waif had simply decided to hide away in her room. Regina was done waiting.

“Leave her alone!” Anna shouted back, “What are you even doing here?”

“Someone has got to take Zelena down before she does whatever it is she needs Rumple for! Glinda said it was you, so get up!” The blonde was a wreck. And so was the room. The wall Elsa’s bed was set against was caked with ice crystals, there was water all over the floor, and her bedding crunched when she moved. “And look what you’re doing to my palace!”

“Leave her alone!” Anna bellowed again, getting right up into Regina’s face. 

Instinctively, she called her magic, only to hear Elsa shout, “NO!” and to be blasted by a wall of ice and freezing air. But this ice not only stole the breath from her lungs, it cut. Elsa had never done anything like that before.

“What the hell was that?” Regina gasped, looking down at herself. The front of her gown was peppered with tiny slashes, and little rivulets of blood were forming on her chest. Whatever Elsa had done, it was _dark._

“I don’t know!” Elsa sobbed. “That’s why you need to stay away - everyone needs to stay away!”

“If you’re losing control, you need to get the hell out of my palace!” Regina shot back, but that hardly help the Zelena situation.

“No,” Anna said quickly. “That never helps. Trust me, I know. Elsa didn’t mean to hurt you, that black stuff did something to her magic. We’ll figure it out; we always do.”

“That ‘black stuff’? You mean the curse of the Dark One?”

“Yeah, the black stuff.”

_I’m surrounded by idiots._ Regina never thought she’d actually miss Rumple, but, manipulative bastard that he was, he would at least have known exactly what was going on. “Your magic has been contaminated with the curse of the Dark One?” she demanded of Elsa. 

“I don’t know!” She said, “I don’t know what’s happening!”

“Then you’re useless,” Regina spat.

“She is not!”

“I wasn’t talking to you, Pippi Longstocking. Don’t you understand what this means? There’s no one now who can fight Zelena!”

“Is that all you care about? Fighting Zelena?”

“Yes!”

“She’s your sister!”

“She’s a dangerous lunatic with magic that could level the Enchanted Forest!”

“Didn’t you already do that?”

Regina stared at her. “The curse…”

“What about it?”

“What if that’s what she wants?”

“Then she got it.”

“No, not the curse of the Dark One, you idiot, the Dark Curse!”

“What’s the difference?”

“The Dark Curse is the curse I used to bring everyone to Storybrooke!”

“Oh. Shouldn’t you have named it something else? It’s confusing. The Dark Curse, the curse of the Dark One, it’s basically the same name…”

“I didn’t name them!”

“Why would she want the Dark Curse?” Elsa asked, managing to be more on task than her sister even as she huddled in her nightgown, her hair hanging limply over her shoulders.

“The same reason I did - revenge. If she casts the Dark Curse, she can do whatever she likes with us in Storybrooke, and we won’t even remember that it’s not how things are supposed to be.”

“So what do we do?”

“You pull yourself together,” she told Elsa. “We need to get that dagger back. And until then, I have to keep the curse scroll safe.”

“I’m dangerous,” Elsa insisted.

“So am I,” Regina said, losing her patience, “And so is she. Did you think this was going to be one of those ‘safe’ magical battles? Rumple’s gone, so it’s up to me to train you. If you’re not in that courtyard in ten minutes, I’m coming after you.”

Regina didn’t wait for a response, she simply transported to her vault to check on the curse scroll. It seemed it was down to her. She wondered if Henry would be proud.

XxXxXxX

“This isn’t working!” Elsa snarled. Practicing with Regina was impossible. She was talking about dark things, like anger and rage, and it was only making the problem worse.

“You’re not trying hard enough!”

“This isn’t what Rumplestiltskin taught me!”

“It’s what he taught me!”

“But you’re dark! I’m not!”

“You are now,” Regina said, and it felt like a death sentence.

“Then what’s the point?” Elsa asked. “Only light magic can defeat her. If I’m dark now, I can’t help you!”

“Prophecies don’t always come true, you know! Or didn’t Rumple tell you that? We can take her if you would just focus!”

“I am!”

“You’re not!”

“Stop!” Anna shouted, coming between Regina and Elsa, “She’s doing the best she can!”

“Well, it’s not good enough,” Regina hissed. What hurt the most was that Elsa knew it was true. “Stay here if you’re going to mope. _I’m_ going to find a way to defeat my sister.” And then Regina disappeared, leaving them abandoned in the courtyard. 

“I’m sorry, Anna,” Elsa said. “I can’t do this.”

“And you shouldn’t,” Anna insisted. “She’s trying to teach you dark magic because that is all she knows. That’s not what Glinda said would defeat Zelena, and it’s not who you are.”

Elsa shook her head. “I don’t know who I am anymore.”

Anna took her hands. “You’re my sister,” she said. “And we will figure this out together. You have to promise you won’t give up. You promise?”

“Anna…”

“You’ve got to promise. Promise me. Do it.”

“Fine. I… I promise.” Anna giggled and threw her arms around Elsa. Elsa tried to smile.

XxXxXxX

“Ugh,” Zelena groused, dispelling her image portal. “They’re really nauseating, the two of them. And it was almost entertaining for a moment there.”

Rumplestiltskin watched in silence. Three days, and he knew he couldn’t keep this charade up for much longer. Her very presence caused his curse to snarl and salivate like a beast in a cage, and sooner or later she was going to ask him directly how he really felt about her.

She’d already started asking invasively personal questions. She was very interested in Malcolm and his childhood, even in Milah. As she forced story after story out of him, dragging his most deeply buried hurts out for her own amusement, she would coo and cluck and share stories of her own. She stroked his hair like he was her dog, and it took everything in him not to rip her hand away.

But he couldn’t risk it. She’d force him to kill Bae if he angered her; he knew she would. So he let her touch him, let her think that he was growing feelings for her, buying Bae another day, another hour, another minute with each touch and tale. 

She wrapped her hands around the back of his neck in a parody of an embrace. “Do you think Elsa’s powers might recover?”

“They might. Or they might not; I don’t know.”

“Really? No idea at all?”

“No. There’s no precedent for what happened to her, and her powers were hardly well controlled to begin with.” 

“True.” She smiled. “Did you enjoy teaching her?”

“Sometimes.”

“More than Regina?”

“Sometimes.”

He expected her to then ask him to compare herself to Elsa, but she did not. She just smiled to herself and started stroking him along his jaw. “It’s a shame you don’t need to shave,” she said. “I know how to shave a man. Do you molt?”

“No.” His skin did not behave as the skin of any mortal creature; the laws of nature did not apply to it.

“You’re evading my questions.”

“I’m replying simply.”

She trailed her nails down the back of his neck. “Do I frighten you?” Another vulnerability, exposed with the power of the dagger.

“Yes.”

Her smile was both smug and wicked. “Good.”

XxXxXxX

“You don’t have any ideas at all?” Anna asked. Belle, Nova, and Tink had volunteered to try to help figure out how to purify Elsa’s powers, but short of True Love’s Kiss, which hadn’t worked, they had come up with nothing.

“The only thing I can think of is the True Love potion that Rumple brewed back in Storybrooke, but I have no idea where it is or whether it would even work,” Belle said.

“But why didn’t the kiss work?” Kristoff asked.

“As far as I can tell, because she never actually became the Dark One. She was touched by it, but never really cursed, so there is no curse to break,” Tink said.

“Could this be like Rumplestiltskin’s amnesia?” Nova asked. “You had the same problem then, didn’t you?”

Belle and Tink looked at her. “Now that’s an idea,” Tink said. “Do you still have the spell you used?” she asked Belle.

“It’s still in the Dark Castle,” she said grimly.

“What spell is this?” Kristoff asked.

“It’s a spell that heals the aftereffects of curses. It may work; if we can get to it.”

“It will not,” a woman’s voice said from above them. Anna looked up. 

“The Blue Fairy!”

The fairy smiled and flew closer to them. “Yes, my child.”

“What are you doing here?” Belle asked angrily.

“I’m here to help.”

Tink snorted. “Yeah, right.”

“Zelena is a threat to all of us, especially now that she had the dagger of the Dark One.”

“Do you know what she is intending to do with it? You seemed to know everything about Regina’s curse before it happened,” Belle said.

“You did?” Anna asked. “How? And why didn’t you do anything to stop it? I thought you were the protector of Misthaven; that’s what all the stories say.”

“That’s what Grand Pabbie said,” Kristoff said, confused.

“I guess no one filled you in on all the crap she pulled,” Tink said, “Blue wanted the curse to happen. She wanted Henry to be born… for some reason.”

“It’s not a matter of want, Tinker Bell,” Blue said, “You know that. It is a matter of what fairies must do. We must protect the balance of magic, and Zelena is a threat to that.”

“And Regina’s wasn’t?” Tink asked.

“No. Emma was always prophesized to defeat Regina, nor did Regina ever intend to break the laws of magic. This is what Zelena intends.”

“Then there’s nothing to worry about; she won’t be able to do it,” Tink said.

“I’m afraid it’s not that simple,” Blue said. “She is very close to completing a spell that could very well break the laws of magic, and now that she has Rumplestiltskin, she is even closer to that goal.”

“Why the hell should we believe you?” Tink asked. “You’ve done nothing but lie to us!”

“Now, you know that’s not true,” Blue said. “Was all that I taught you a lie? How do you wield a wand if that is so?”

“No,” Belle said, “You didn’t lie about everything - the best liars never do.”

“Are you sure?” Anna asked, “Because Hans was a really good liar, and I really do think he lied about everything. I don’t even think he likes sandwiches.”

“He better have lied about everything,” Kristoff muttered.

Anna smiled and patted his hand. “You know you’re the only one for me.”

The library door suddenly slammed open, and Regina stood there, Snow and David right behind her. “You! Get out of my castle, blueball!”

“It’s not your castle,” the fairy said - very condescendingly, Anna thought.

“It’s hers more than yours,” Snow said. “You have not been invited here, Blue.”

“I understand that you are angry with me, but I have information about Zelena and Elsa that you must know.”

“Elsa?” Anna asked, “Do you know what’s wrong with Elsa?”

Regina snorted. “I’m sure she does, but what she ends up _telling_ you, that’s another matter entirely.”

“Can you help me?” Elsa asked desperately.

“I’m afraid that I cannot,” she said.

“Then why are you here?” Regina asked. Her right hand was clenched into a fist and began to glow.

“To warn you about Zelena’s intentions. And to explain that Elsa, and only Elsa, can control what happens to her powers.”

“Regina thought that Zelena may be planning to cast her own Dark Curse,” Snow said.

“I’m afraid that she is planning something much more dangerous than that. She is planning to travel back in time.”

“How?”

“With a spell that requires courage, innocence, a brilliant mind, and a resilient heart.”

“Then we’re in the clear; whatever else Zelena is, she is certainly not innocent,” Regina said.

“I did not say that they had to be her own. Recall her obsession with Rumplestiltskin; whatever else he is, he does possess a brilliant mind.”

“But he always had that,” Belle said, “If his mind was she wanted, why would she force him to become the Dark One again?”

“Because this is another lie,” Regina said. “She needs us to do something, and she’s trying to trick us into it. Again.”

“It is not a lie. But you are correct that I cannot defeat Zelena myself.”

“Why not?” Kristoff asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be all powerful? As powerful at the Dark One?”

She laughed. “While I am more powerful than the Dark One, neither of us are all powerful. Zelena can only be defeated by the magic of true love, and while my magic is good, it is not the same a true love.”

“What has happened to me?” Elsa asked, “You said you knew.”

“I do. As do you. You were touched by the curse of the Dark One.”

“But what did it do to me? I’m not cursed - if I were, we’d be able to break it!”

“You are correct - you are not cursed as such. But the curse did touch you, and in that time, it changed you.”

“How?”

“The curse of the Dark One feeds on the natural darkness of anyone it possesses. It found your natural darkness and brought it out. It is that darkness which contaminates your magic now, just as Regina’s darkness is what drives her power, leaving her unable to defeat her sister.”

“But Elsa isn’t dark!” Anna objected.

“There is darkness in all mortals,” Blue said. “Even you. It was what made you valuable to Rumplestiltskin.”

“But Elsa hasn’t done anything!”

“She has. She cursed Arendale. And she cursed Regina.”

“She didn’t mean to!”

“It happened. Which, I’m afraid, means that somewhere inside her, she did mean to do it.”

Anna jumped to her feet. “You are a liar! You don’t know anything about Elsa! I bet you don’t even know anything about magic! We’re going to fix this, and we’re going to save Rumplestiltskin and stop Zelena and save Arendale and… and have the wedding just like we planned! Get out!”

“I will leave. But please, Princess Anna, heed my warnings. If Zelena succeeds, she could destroy everything. All magic. All the worlds - even the Land Without Magic.”

“There is no land without magic,” Belle said. “Earth has magic.”

“Please leave, Blue,” Snow said. “You’ve given your warning.”

“I have. You must heed it, Snow; all our fates depend on it.”

“That’s what you said last time,” David muttered as the fairy flew up and out the window.

“Could she be correct?” Elsa asked Belle. “You said that she does not always lie.”

“Even if she is not deliberately lying, she may still be wrong. She was wrong about Rumple; she said that he could never love enough to break the curse of the Dark One. I don’t think she understands it half as well as she claims, and I think she had a prejudice against those who have been touched by it.”

“So she’s really not a good person,” Anna said. “How could Grand Pabbie be wrong about something like that?”

“She had everybody fooled,” David said. “It wasn’t until after the curse broke and we all started working together that we were able to discover what she’d done.”

“I didn’t think anyone could fool Grand Pabbie,” Anna said. It was frightening to learn; Grand Pabbie had been her rock. _No pun intended._ “So now what?”

“The thing is, she could have been telling the truth about Zelena; she really is crazy enough to try something like that,” Regina said. 

“How would we know?” Snow asked.

“Well, she said she needed courage, innocence, and a resilient heart. Until a heart goes missing, she can’t be doing what Blue says she’s doing. And it would be a good idea to make sure that those ingredients are actually used for time-travel.”

“I can look into that,” Belle said, “But you’re forgetting something, Regina; Zelena does have a resilient heart: Rumple’s.”

“What about innocence?” Kristoff asked. “How would you even… capture that?”

“Magic is symbolic,” Regina said, “Even taking a heart isn’t really taking a heart - it’s just a representation of a heart.”

“But what represents innocence?” Anna asked. 

Snow gasped and placed a hand on her belly. “A baby. Nothing is more innocent than a baby.”

“That… could be right,” Regina said. “A baby of True Love would be even more symbolic. That gives us approximately eight months before she makes her next move.”

“Or less,” Tink said. “Phillip and Aurora also have True Love, don’t they?”

“That’s right,” Snow said. “We need to warn them.”

XxXxXxX

“That blue bug!” Zelena raged. “Why did she have to interfere?”

It was a rhetorical question; Rumplestiltskin did not have to answer it. But he was also running out of distractions. Reul Ghorm presenting herself now was too good an opportunity to waste. “She’s followed the bidding of the gods in the past; perhaps they requested her inference now.”

The look in her eyes when she turned to him was unfathomable, which made it very, very dangerous. “Gods? How do you know this?”

He explained about the golem, and relayed what Mr. Booth had told him about the confrontation between Emma and Reul Ghorm.

“Which god was it?” she demanded.

“I have no idea.”

“Don’t lie to me!”

“I can’t. It could have been any of them.”

“Any of them? Hades,” she muttered. “I knew it.”

_Hades?_ If Zelena had had a confrontation with Hades and lived to tell the tale, she was even more powerful than he had realized. But if the God of the Underworld was her enemy - and every magical being now was - that could bode well for them. 

_But what would Hades want with the Truest Believer?_

Zelena had come to the same conclusion. “Tell me about the Truest Believer. What can he do?”

“I don’t actually know. I had never heard the term before Bae mentioned it to me.”

“Never?”

“No.”

She grinned. “Fortunately, there’s someone we can ask.”

XxXxXxX

Malcolm should have drowned Rumple the minute the squalling brat had been placed in his arms. The lad had never been anything but burden and then had had the audacity to blame Malcolm for… what? Looking out for his own interests? Rumple had traded his own son for power; he should understand.

But instead, the boy had locked him in a dungeon, gotten Felix killed, and all of them captured by an insane witch. The only satisfaction he had in this scenario came from seeing Zelena lead Rumple around like a dog. Malcolm himself wouldn’t have minded the company of such an attractive woman (odd complexion aside - it had been far too long), but the lad moped and quivered like she was hurting him. He was probably thinking of that little poppet with the chestnut curls; it was just like Rumple to worry about something like that.

If only she’d let Malcolm talk his way into her bed; he could have worked with that. But this was not the first time she’d interrogated him, and every time ended the same. It was always a trial simply to make it through each encounter alive. “Mistress,” he said, as soon as he could talk. It was difficult to think as a flying monkey.

“Malcolm, dear, I have a question for you.” 

“For you, Mistress, anything.”

“Tell me about the Truest Believer.”

“Never found him.”

“I know. What I want to know is how you knew to look for him in the first place. Rumple tells me you had a portrait; where did you get that?”

“Rumple says a lot of things.”

“So it’s not true?”

“I didn’t say that,” he said with a disarming smile. She liked games, this one. Sometimes.

Zelena looked at Rumple, who simply stood there with his hands folded in front of him and his face utterly expressionless. “Was he always like this?” she asked him.

“Yes.”

“Hm.” She snapped her fingers, and Malcolm was struck by a bolt of green lightning. He screamed. _Bitch!_ “Now,” she said, “Care to try again?”

“All right, all right,” he panted. So it would be one of those days. “Yes; I had a portrait… a drawing.”

“Where did you get it?”

“I conjured it, from the vision the Shadow showed me. It gave me… knowledge. It told me I needed the heart of the Truest Believer to extend my life and showed me his face but didn’t tell me where he was or how to locate him.”

“What else did it tell you about him?”

“Nothing, I swear.”

The lightning again. The witch cackled as he screamed, and Rumple looked at the ground, too much of a coward to even watch. When it was over, the witch kicked Malcolm onto his back and stood over him, a wicked figure in black. “Do you think he’s telling the truth?” she asked Rumple.

“I don’t know.”

She started circling around him. “No?”

“I could never tell, with him.” Well, that was true enough.

“I’m telling the truth, laddie, I swear,” Malcolm gasped.

“That usually means he isn’t.”

“Laddie!”

“But this is an unusual situation. You could try looking at his memories, although they are shadowed from his time as Pan.”

“Aye! Do that!” Malcolm said.

She used an unusual technique. Instead of a dream catcher, she trapped his memories in a piece of green crystal then conjured a caldron to drop it into. She frowned. “You’re right, Rumple; the details are clouded. Can you make out anything significant?”

“No.”

“Do you see _anything_ that indicates which god is involved?”

“No.”

“Blast!” The cauldron disappeared, and Malcolm watched carefully, keeping low to avoid provoking her.

“No matter,” she said, sweeping her cloak behind her. “I know who was behind this. It was Hades, from the very beginning. That bastard!” And then it got very hard to think again. Malcolm lifted off the ground, his wings pumping in agitation, as he tried to remember what just happened. He’d been human just now, hadn’t he?

XxXxXxX

“Nevermind,” Zelena said. “I won’t let him stop me. He _can’t_ stop me, as long as he’s in the Underworld.”

She knew it had been a lie. No one could ever love her the way Hades had pretended to. And he was the God of the Underworld; what had she been thinking, trusting him? Rumple was safer. She knew what he really thought about her (she wasn’t blind - she knew that if she asked him how he felt about her, he would not be speaking words of love), but it didn’t matter as long as she held the dagger. He couldn’t betray her; he was safe.

And, once her spell had been cast, he would love her, just as her mother would. She’d change things. Stop Regina from being born. She could even reunite Rumple with his son; he’d love her forever if she did that.

Or she could simply take the dagger in that timeline too. Mother would approve, certainly, and she could even take other lovers if she wanted to. And she would not have to share him with the boy.

She shooed Malcolm away, and glanced at Rumple. They still had a while to wait. She knew it would take the Savior’s younger sibling to make the spell work; Phillip and Aurora’s child was an interesting suggestion, but Snow and Charming has been the couple Rumple selected to produce the Savior - there had to be a reason. 

She also still needed Charming’s courage and Regina’s heart. And now, thanks to that interfering fairy, they knew that she needed them and why. She would have to wait until everything was in place before she collected them.

So how could she kill the time?

There was Rumple, of course, but something was missing - he didn’t fight back. He was so very concerned for the little brat that he didn’t dare challenge her. It had been entertaining at first, but was not the Rumple she remembered. She wanted him to challenge her; she wanted the Dark One. All of him, his blackened heart, his sharp mind, and his darkened soul. Even the maid didn’t have that; he never showed her the darkness she knew he possessed.

She could order him to go after the boy at any time, of course; that would ignite his anger. But somehow, she didn’t want to take that step just yet. There’d be no turning back after that, and she’d lose the pleasant parts of their charade; she wasn’t quite ready to let that go.

What then?

Well, she had time, didn’t she? The darkness was there; eight months of drawing it out could be a most entertaining diversion, and she’d have the weapon she needed against Hades as well. She smiled at him, and he looked back with that impassive expression she was starting to loathe.

“Have you ever battled a god, Rumple?” she asked.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Other Dark Ones have; it did not end well for them.”

“What if I said that we are going to defeat a god? What would you say to that?”

“Defeat how?”

“We’re going to change fate. We’re going to change _everything._ ”

She saw the understanding down in his eyes. Annoyingly, he was apprehensive instead of impressed. “Reul Ghorm was correct; you’re planning to change time.”

“Yes. And I will succeed where others have failed. You see, they did not have the right ingredients. The most outstanding courage, the most resilient hart, the most innocent baby, and…” She scraped her nails down his scalp, “The most brilliant mind.”

“You flatter me, dearie,” he said flatly.

“You don’t think I can do it,” she accused.

“I think you shouldn’t,” he said, and she smiled. He was bound to tell her the truth; he had to know that she would succeed where others had failed.

“And why not? Why shouldn’t I take back what was stolen from me? I deserve the life Regina was given!”

He blinked slowly. “There is no one I know who deserves that life more than you, dearie, but breaking the laws of magic will have consequences no one can anticipate. It could unravel the fabric of the realms completely.”

She smiled, giddy on his words; that admission was more than she expected from him, and she knew he meant it. _He does regret throwing me over me before!_ She kissed him until she ran out of air, then leaned her forehead against his. “Then we’ll weave it anew,” she said. She ignored how his hands stayed limp at his sides.

XxXxXxX

She was mad. Utterly mad. And she was going to destroy them.

_What do I do? There’s nothing. Not as long as she has the dagger._

_Weak. Pathetic. You are nothing. You deserve this._

_Please, I need to stop her. Tell me how to stop her!_

_Destroy her. Get the dagger and destroy her._

_I can’t!_

_Then they all die. Everything dies. All because of you._

_Tell me how to destroy her!_

But his curse couldn’t. Once again, he’d sold his soul - and gained absolutely nothing.

_Time. I gained time._

_Time! Ha! She makes you suffer. And she will take that time; take it all back._

_No!_

_And what can you do? You are nothing. She owns you. How will you stop her?_

_I don’t know._


	17. Desperate Measures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: sexual assault, psychological manipulation/torture, suicidal thoughts, & mentioned torture & rape

Belle was starting to lose her sense of time. She was up all hours, at first confirming that the ingredients Reul Ghorm had listed were for a time spell (they were), and then searching for any way to stop Zelena and free Rumple. Bae joined her, his hours just as erratic as hers, and the constant flow of people stopping by the help whenever they could (Tink, Nova, Wendy, Jiminy, August - even Snow and David when they could spare a moment), did not help orient her in the slightest.

She hadn’t even realized it had been a month until Nova mentioned the date. She set her book down, suddenly feeling too ill to read it. “Belle?” Nova asked.

“What do you think she’s doing to him?” she asked.

“Who?”

“Never mind,” she said, reaching for her book. “Forget I mentioned it.”

“Do you mean Zelena? And Rumplestiltskin?”

“Yes. When Regina… I was just a prisoner to her. It was terrible, what she did to me, but what she did to the Huntsman… Do you think she’s hurting him?”

She wanted Nova to say ‘no’, that it was only her worry for him that was making her think this. But she knew Nova couldn’t say that. Zelena was cruel, and bore personal hatred for Rumplestiltskin. And obsession. She’d going to considerable trouble to enslave him with the dagger, and yet, as far as they knew, she had not used it to command him to perform magic for her. She must have wanted him for another reason. A personal reason.

“I don’t know,” Nova said. “Belle, when was the last time you slept?”

She laughed humorlessly. “I have no idea.”

“You need to sleep.”

“I can’t. I’ve started having nightmares again,” she confessed. They were all jumbled up. Regina, Zelena, her cell in the tower, Rumple, her cell in the hospital, the dagger… she could never remember the details when she woke, but she didn’t have to when she remembered where Rumple was and who he was with. And what she was capable of.

“I can help. I can use fairy dust to give you good dreams.”

“No.”

“Belle, please, let me help.”

“No,” she said again. “I should be able to do this. I need to be strong for him.”

“You are! Asking for help doesn’t mean you’re not strong!”

She shook her head. “Magic always has a price. Fairy dust is precious; you should save it in case we need it against Zelena.”

“Belle…”

“Wait!” she said, an idea springing to the surface of her mind, “Fairy dust!”

“Yes?” Nova asked confused.

“Fairy dust can imprison dark magic users!” They’d originally thought to use squid ink to imprison Zelena and take the dagger from her, but both Ariel and Eric appeared to have vanished when the curse was reversed. Even Regina could not see them in her crystal ball, and August had speculated that that was part of Reul Ghorm’s plan, to force them into something. None of them could say he was wrong.

Nova bit her lip. “I thought of that, but none of us know the spell work for that kind of prison.”

“Then we’ll find it!” Belle said, gesturing at the books around them.

“All right,” Nova said, without her usual cheer. 

XxXxXxX

“A fairy dust prison?” Zelena asked rhetorically, “Really?”

It had been a month, and Rumplestiltskin had begun to wish for mortality. 

Bored, Zelena had begun to experiment with the dagger. She’d discovered that she could put him to sleep with it, or make him feel pain. She could even force his body to respond to her sexually, although she still seemed to prefer to make him choose. And every time he did, he lost something of himself. She was chipping away at him, but by bit, as the days creeped closer to the royal child’s birth and her attempt to change time. If he died before then, she would lose the brain she needed. And this pain would end. 

But he could not die. Unless she stabbed him through the heart with dagger, nothing she did would kill him. So he lived, weaker and more helpless than he had ever been. 

He watched Belle through the portal and marveled at how she could still hope. She’d always been so much stronger than him.

“Does she really think that will work?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “But she will try.”

Zelena laughed again. “Foolish girl. What did you ever see in her, anyway?”

There were hundreds of ways he could truthfully answer that question. He chose an answer that Zelena would hopefully find neither threatening not encouraging. “She sees goodness in me.”

“But she ignores the darkness!” Zelena hissed. “She doesn’t love you, not all of you. She wants to change you, make you into a _hero._ I would have accepted you for what you are!”

He tried to say ‘I know’, but the phrase caught in his throat. He didn’t know why until he realized that it would have been a lie. She had accepted him as the Dark One, yes, but not who he was under that. Under his curse, he was a spinner. A coward. A father. She would never have accepted that. So he twisted his words. “You have no use for a hero,” he said.

She cackled and stepped closer. “That’s right. Why would I want a hero when I have you?” She wrapped her arms around his neck and bit his ear in a way that would have been revolting even if it hadn’t reminded him of her mother. “Dark One,” she purred, as if it were an endearment. From this angle, she couldn’t see his gaze still lingering on the wall where the portal had been.

XxXxXxX

It took nearly six weeks for Tink, Nova, and Belle to craft a pair of manacles that could reliably hold Regina for an hour. Given that, they were both sure that they would hold Zelena long enough for them to retrieve the dagger.

“Great,” Leroy said, “How do we get them on her?”

“That’s the question,” Bae said. For Belle’s sake, he pretended to have faith it would work. “Any ideas?”

“Draw her out,” Regina said.

“What are you thinking, Regina?” Snow asked. Like Belle, she treated every moment like it mattered. She believed that Zelena wanted her baby, Bae knew, and every day brought them closer to the birth. He didn’t know what she would do if this was unsuccessful.

“So far, she’s brought each battle to us; it’s time for us to bring a battle to her. We know she’s at the Dark Castle; I say we go and get her,” Regina proposed.

“Won’t she have barriers and stuff?” August asked.

“Then we’ll break them.”

“Who, exactly, is ‘we’?” Leroy asked.

“Regina and me,” Elsa said. “We should go alone, in case I… lose control.”

“No!” Anna objected.

“There’s nothing you can do in this fight anyway, Pippi,” Regina said. “This is between witches.”

“But who will get the manacles on?” Leroy asked. “She’ll see you both coming, and with the Dark One as back-up, it’s two against two. And he can hold you, sister, I’ve seen it.”

“So what the hell do you suggest?” Regina demanded.

“You and Elsa go - as the distraction. Someone else sneaks up behind her and slams the manacles on. Like Gold did to you.”

“He was only able to do that because he used magic to transport behind me; only Elsa and I know how to do that.”

“Then you or Elsa does the spell,” Bae said. “And transports the third person. Leroy is right; she’ll see you both coming. As will my father.”

“I’ll do it!” Anna immediately volunteered.

“No,” Elsa said.

Regina nodded. “You’d be a liability,” she said. “If Zelena or Rumple got their hands on you, they’d control Elsa, and that is the last thing we need.”

“I’ll do it,” David said. “I have fought witches before.”

Snow grimly took his hand, but agreed. “David has the experience.”

“No offense,” Robin said, “But you’re really more used to frontal assaults, if I’m not mistaken. If the purpose of this to surprise her, that’s really more my area. And I know my way around a set of manacles.”

Regina snorted. “I’ll say.” Then her glare turned to August, when he started snickering.

“Doesn’t that bring us back the liability argument?” Kristoff asked.

“No!” Regina objected, and the ice carver just rolled his eyes.

“I spent plenty of time running from George and Regina,” David told Robin. “I do know how to use the element of surprise.”

“Neither one of you has as much experience as I do,” Bae said. “And I know Papa better than anyone here.”

“Baelfire,” Snow began, “You’re a…”

“Child? No, I’m not. By law, I’m sixteen, which is legal age in half of the kingdoms of the Enchanted forest. And in actual years, I’m the oldest one here by nearly two centuries.”

“But…”

“Wait!” Kristoff said suddenly. “You can’t go. Especially you. Before she disappeared, Zelena said something… what was it?”

“That’s right!” Anna agreed. “I remember! She said, ‘You’ll get the boy next time’.” 

“That could be a command,” Regina said, “As soon as Rumple lays eyes on you, he’ll have to kill you. That sounds like her.”

“That sounds like you,” Leroy muttered.

“Exactly,” Regina said. “So I know how she thinks.”

“Then me,” Belle said. “I should do it; I helped create the manacles.”

“Can you even reach?” Regina said nastily. “Charming is the logical choice. He’s strong, he’s fast, and he’s done missions like this before.”

“And if he gets captured, you won’t trade a bent copper for him,” Leroy said.

“Yes,” Regina said blandly. “You want to beat my sister _and_ Rumple? That’s what it will take.”

“Agreed,” Charming said. “Although I don’t plan on being captured.”

“You should,” Robin said. “You might be.”

Regina snorted. “Zelena’s idea of capture means she turns you into a flying monkey. There will be no Plan B.”

“That doesn’t matter if Plan A works,” Charming said, “Will you do you part?”

“Yes,” Regina said tartly.

“Elsa?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Then when do we leave?”

XxXxXxX

She was making him sing for her; it was her new game. She’d been asking him about the spinsters, and she’d gotten him to admit that he’d liked it when they sang with him, and that he’d later shared those songs with Bae. So, naturally, Zelena had decided that he must share them with her.

He imagined her now as some gaping maw that was slowly devouring every part of him. His history, his most private thoughts - she wanted it all, and she was picking it out of his brain piece by piece, like picking bits of a walnut out of its shell until it was empty and could be discarded.

She knew he found it humiliating; that was the fun of it for her. He’d run out of folk songs, and she was now demanding nonsense. “Sing me a song about… meat pies.”

He nearly laughed. How could she expect that Mr. Gold’s memories contained the entire score of Sweeny Todd? He was about to begin A Little Priest, when an image flashed through his mind of her serving him a pie made with human flesh. It could be Belle’s… or Bae’s, on the day when she finally carried through on her threats. He choked on the first note, then coughed, scrambling for the lyrics of the Worst Pies in London instead. 

She stopped him after the second verse. “Rumple,” she said dangerously, “That’s not very nice.”

“I didn’t write it,” he said.

“No? Who did?”

“Stephen Sondheim.”

“Well, I don’t like it. Sing some thing else. Sing me… a song that reminds you of your father.”

Another sore point. She’d fixated on Malcolm, convinced that because they had both been mistreated by their fathers, surely he could understand her? He’d answered yes, because he did understand her - her delusion was that that such understanding meant that he had any sort of affection or sympathy for her.

A song sprang to his mind, one that he and Bae had listened to a number of times before the curse was broken. Like the Boxer, Bae had not realized why this song had fascinated him so, and neither had Rumplestiltskin at the time. Bae had never played this particular record again after remembering Neverland. Rumplestiltskin did not want to share this memory with her, but he could think of nothing else, and his curse was forcing him - _SING!_

So he did.

“Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me  
I'm not sleepy and there ain't no place I'm going to…*”

She smiled contentedly and leaned back on the settee, sipping oversweet tea as he performed for her, clutching this new information to her like a stolen pearl. _Kill her. Destroy her. You’re pathetic. You’re nothing. If you had truly mastered this power, she would never have captured you. Love is weakness. She will use it to destroy you._

Suddenly, he felt a spark along the wards around the castle. So had Zelena; she set her cup aside quickly and stood, frowning in annoyance. “Someone’s at the door. Shall we see who it is, Rumple?”

“It’s Regina,” he said. “My wards recognize her.”

“Regina? I suppose it was inevitable; you said she lacks patience.”

“She does.”

“Is she alone?”

“No; there are others with her. Elsa, I think.”

“Oh,” Zelena cackled, “They must have finished the manacles, and now they’ve come to bring me in! I suppose this could be a fun visit after all!”

She drew the dagger and transported them both to the gate. As expected, Regina and Elsa where combining their powers, trying to blast the gate down. “You do realize that that is never going to work, don’t you?” Zelena asked. “I had Rumple reinforce the wards weeks ago.”

“Why?” Regina challenged, “Sacred, sis?”

Zelena laughed. “Do you really think you can provoke me, Regina? I hold all the cards here.”

“Not all of them,” Regina said. “I was still mother’s favorite.”

As usual, Regina knew only one move - to go for the jugular. But in this case, it worked. Zelena’s nostrils flared, and she brandished the dagger. “Rumple, keep the snow witch out of my way; I need to show my sister her place.” _Destroy her, Regina! Destroy her, because I can’t!_

It wasn’t difficult to incapacitate Elsa, and Rumplestiltskin was only grateful that Zelena had not ordered him to kill her - she wouldn’t have stood a chance. He froze her in place from the neck down, then transported himself over to her, watching closely as Zelena and Regina traded insults and spells. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he told Elsa quietly. “Thank you for saving my boy. I’ll repay you if I can.”

“You taught me how,” she said. “We came here to save you.”

“You may have, but I doubt that was Regina’s motivation. Thank you, regardless.”

“Let me go.”

“I can’t,” he said, with more emotion than he’d meant. Oh, he _wanted_ to set her free, to watch her use the spells he taught her to defeat Zelena, but the dagger would not allow it. And it would not allow him to spare her life if Zelena decided to kill her. 

“Is that the best you’ve got?” Regina challenged, and Rumplestiltskin was simply too weary to roll his eyes at the cliché.

“You have no idea what I’m capable of,” Zelena replied, and Rumplestiltskin was too afraid to roll his eyes at that one.

Zelena disappeared, reappearing just in front of Regina and reaching for her heart. Her eyes widened in shock when she realized that Regina’s chest was empty. “One thing I learned from Mother,” Regina said, “Never bring your heart to a witch fight.”

And suddenly another figure appeared right behind Zelena. Rumplestiltskin recognized him as David just as Zelena blasted him back with a bolt of magic. The manacles he’d been holding rolled away into the dirt with clink. Zelena gestured, freezing Regina as Rumplestiltskin has done to Elsa, then approached David. Ever the hero, he reached for his sword, but Zelena summoned a swarm of ropey, green vines out of the ground, and they wrapped around the prince, pinning him to the forest floor.

“Nice try,” Zelena laughed, “But do you really think a shepherd would be able to trap me?”

“I’ve trapped witches before,” he said.

“Yes,” she laughed. “My sister. Her power is nothing compared to mine.”

“They all say that,” he said.

“But who is victorious? Thank you for the little diversion; Rumple and I were getting terribly bored with no one but each other for company, but my tea is getting cold. I’ll take these.” She picked up the manacles by the chain, then looked at Rumplestiltskin. “Rumple, dear, send them back.”

He did. She looked at the manacles, smiling. “I wonder if these would work on you?”

They did, to an extent. They blocked his power, but not the commands of the dagger, and Zelena laughed with delight as his curse punished him for being unable to perform the magical tasks she requested. Her game lasted nearly fifteen agonizing minutes before the curse of the Dark One overwhelmed the fairy dust, and the manacles dropped off his wrists, blackened and twisted. The butterflies she’d been ordering him to conjure exploded around her in a funnel of moving color.

“Oh!” She seemed entranced by them for a moment before she realized that her game was over. She let the butterflies disperse as she sauntered up to him, kicking the manacles aside. “Well, I don’t suppose anything that little, green fairy made could hold you back for long.” She snapped her fingers, and the manacles disappeared.

“Did you have fun?” she asked him mockingly.

“No.”

“Well, I did. And now I’m hungry.” And she was touching him again. “Are you?”

“No.” Between the constant fear, pain, and disgust and the way she’d flooded his system with dark magic, he was never hungry anymore. And meals were only another chance for her to act out her little domestic charade.

“Hm. Well, maybe I’ll just have to help you work up an appetite,” she said with a leer.

XxXxXxX

The members of the Council jumped when the mangled remains of the manacles appeared, crashing onto the tabletop. 

“Well,” Leroy said, “So much for that.”

Belle’s eyes filled with tears. They had been so close to rescuing Rumple. Or so far. From Elsa, Belle had gathered that it had not been difficult at all for Zelena defeat them; their plan to trap her with the manacles could well have been doomed from the beginning.

Regina sighed. “Does anyone else have any bright ideas?”

“Kill her,” Leroy said. “Let’s forget this capture stuff.”

“Grumpy!” Snow objected. “We must not sink to her level!”

Leroy looked at Regina. “Some people here already have,” he said. Regina and Robin glared at him.

“He has a point,” Bae said. Belle was too despondent to disagree.

“No,” Snow said firmly. “Good always triumphs eventually; if we give into the impulse to defeat Zelena with evil, then we are doomed to failure.”

“Well, then what do we do? What’s next?” Leroy asked.

“We figure out why she let us live,” David said, looking thoughtful. “She wants something - why else would she have let us go?”

“That is a good point,” Elsa said. “Rumplestiltskin incapacitated me immediately - he could have killed me easily if she had ordered him to, instead she ordered him to send us all back here.”

“She tried to take my heart,” Regina said grimly. “That might be an indication that Reul Ghorm was telling the truth. She can’t kill us until she gets the ingredients to her spell.”

“But why spare me and David?”

“Courage,” Anna said. “You both have courage.”

“I’m not sure…” Elsa said.

“You do!” Anna insisted.

“But why would she need two people?” Leroy asked.

“Charming for courage makes sense,” Regina said. “Maybe she wants Elsa for something else. Or maybe she was just in a magnanimous mood - it happens.”

“Did it ever happen with you?” Leroy asked.

“Yes, as a matter of fact,” she said. “Perhaps is amuses her to keep you alive,” she said to Elsa. “Who knows? But I think it’s time to consider that she’s serious about this time-travel spell. And if she is, the dwarf is right - we need to kill her.”

“Regina, you can’t,” Snow said.

“You don’t get it,” Regina said, “You’re not a magic user. This isn’t something like the Dark Curse, which is limited to one or two worlds and can be broken - if she breaks the laws of magic this way, she could unravel the fabric of reality. The worlds could be destroyed - every single one.”

“And even if it doesn’t happen,” August said, “She could change anything. At any time. Suppose she makes it so, I don’t know… Regina isn’t born. What kind of ripple effects could that have?”

“No Evil Queen,” Grumpy said. “No curse.”

“Are you sure about that? Zelena could become the new Evil Queen. And what if there was no curse? That means no Savior - Emma might never be born.”

“And then neither would Henry,” Regina said.

August nodded. “Exactly.”

“But the question is - could we even kill her?” Tink asked. “It’s one thing to agree to do it, another to actually accomplish it.”

Tink would know about that; Belle knew that she would have killed Pan many times over if she’d been able to. “Agreed,” Archie said. “And attempting and failing to kill her may only make her angrier; she could retaliate.”

“So what the hell do we do?” Leroy asked.

Snow looked at David. “We adjourn,” she said. “And reassemble tomorrow when we’ve all at time to think.”

Something seemed wrong in her sudden suggestion, and Belle noticed some members of the Council exchanged confused looks, but Regina merely huffed, “Fine,” and stalked away, cuing the others to start filing out.

“Come on,” Bae said to Belle, “Maybe there’s something in Regina’s books we haven’t spotted yet.”

Belle knew that he was humoring her, that he was as devastated as Belle was that Rumple was still under Zelena’s thrall, but she nodded anyway. She would keep going. She had to, for Bae’s sake was well as Rumple’s.

XxXxXxX

“You want me to do what?” Regina asked, incredulous.

“Help us cast another Dark Curse,” Snow said, her hand over her belly. She was just barely starting to show “If we need light magic to defeat Zelena, and Elsa can no longer do it, it has to be Emma. And the Dark Curse is the only way to get to her; that’s what you said.”

“You do realize that for the Dark Curse to be cast, someone has to die, right? You’re not willing to kill Zelena, but you’ll kill some innocent person?”

Snow and Charming exchanged a glance that was sickening in its naiveté. “We were hoping you’d know a way around that.”

Regina sneered. “If there was a way around it, do you think I would have killed my own father?”

Charming began to pace. “And you’re sure that magic beans are not an option?”

“I told you already, when I undid the curse, it divided our realms; it placed a wall between them. The only people who might be able to cross it are the Sorcerer and the Apprentice, and neither Rumple nor I have had any luck finding them since we got back. Maleficent even went looking, and she’s been missing for months.”

They glanced at each other again. “Maleficent?” Snow asked, and there was more behind that question than just simple confusion. _What’s that about?_

“Yes. There’s something of hers that was left behind on Earth. She knew I would do anything to get back to Henry, so she approached me to help her. A fat lot of good that did,” Regina muttered.

“Where did she disappear from?” Charming asked. “That could be a clue; perhaps the Apprentice banished her because she got too close.”

“She was looking into Rumple’s theory that Ingrid might have done business with the Apprentice. I know she didn’t find her in Arendale, but she didn’t tell me where she was going to look next.”

“Elsa and Anna might have an idea where to look for Ingrid,” Snow said.

“Elsa still doesn’t remember Ingrid, and all she did with Anna was threaten and curse her,” Regina said. “Really, Rumple knew her best, and he didn’t have any ideas.”

“You discussed this with him?” Snow asked.

Regina shrugged. “He noticed when Maleficent went missing. He’s a bastard, but he usually has the answers.”

“But not this time,” Charming said quietly.

Regina huffed. “No, not this time.”

“Then we don’t have any choice; the Dark Curse is our only chance to stop Zelena.”

“Haven’t you been paying attention? I can’t cast it for you. It takes the heart of the thing you love most, and, for me, that’s Henry.”

“You can’t, but someone else can,” he said.

“David, no,” Snow said, “We can’t sacrifice someone like that.”

“Not against their will, of course but…” he looked at his wife, “This is the way to save our child. You need to cast the curse.”

“Me? That… David, no! Our baby needs you. I need you.”

“Snow, if it’s the only way…”

“No. We have time; we’ll find another way.”

“What if it’s not our baby she wants? Phillip and Aurora’s is due any day now.”

“Or she could kidnap you,” Regina said, “And wait until you give birth at the Dark Castle.”

“Regina, you can’t possibly think we should do this!” Snow pleaded, but she was looking to the wrong person.

“I don’t know who took out Maleficent,” she said, “Even Rumple couldn’t figure out who it was. Perhaps it was the Apprentice or Ingrid; it could even have been Zelena, we don’t know. But I do know this: the Sorcerer is not an option. If he were willing to help, he’d have let us find him by now.”

“Delaying will only give Emma less time to defeat Zelena,” David said. “Regina, can you prepare everything?”

“Yes,” she said.

“Then do it.” Snow just started at them, not comprehending. Regina left to gather the ingredients. She didn’t know if they would go through with it, but she would not be the reason they didn’t make it back to Earth. And Henry.

XxXxXxX

“What is she doing?” Zelena asked, watching Regina lay out spell ingredients. “Don’t tell me they’re going to try to trap me again.”

“Those are the ingredients for the Dark Curse,” Rumplestiltskin said tonelessly. He wondered whose heart Regina was planning to sacrifice; he didn’t think that any heart but Henry’s would work.

“The Dark Curse?” Zelena asked, fascinated. “My, my, they are getting desperate, aren’t they? I wonder who’s going to die.”

“I don’t know,” Rumplestiltskin said.

Zelena cackled. “I know just what to do.”

XxXxXxX

Regina had to admit that Snow and Charming’s tearful goodbye had gotten to her. Mostly, it reminded her of Daniel. She dug into that old anger, happy to redirect it towards Zelena, so she didn’t have to think about her grief.

All their plans were derailed when Zelena had appeared, boasting that she’d altered the Dark Curse with a memory potion. Regina looked at the smoke pouring from the cauldron. It was green. _I knew we should have killed her!_ Instead, she’d ended up sending Zelena, armed with the Dark One’s dagger and completely unopposed, to the same world as her son. 

_No!_

Zelena flew away. Regina watched Snow weep over her husband’s body. There was nothing to be done; they’d lost.

And then Snow had her little brainwave. _Split a heart?_ It seemed like cheating, just another way people with True Love got out of the prices everyone else had to pay, but damned if it didn’t work. When David started gasping, alive and (mostly) whole, it seemed like the first bit of good news they’d had in the fight against Zelena since she’d showed up.

But all Regina could think as the tainted curse clouds swept them away was: _too little, too late._

XxXxXxX

The Apprentice felt the curse before he saw it. He rushed out of is cottage and watched the wall of seething magic rapidly devour the Enchanted Forest. “No!” he shouted, “It’s too soon!”

XxXxXxX

*Lyrics from Mr. Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Lyrics from Mr. Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan


	18. Welcome to Storybrooke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: psychological manipulation/torture

Rumplestiltskin awoke in a cellar. His hands were human again, his silks and leathers replaced with the suit he’d been wearing when Regina had reversed the first curse.

_The first curse._

Now, thanks to Snow and Charming, there was a second curse that even its caster did not control. Belle and Bae were now trapped in a cursed town with a witch who was armed with the dagger of the Dark One and that no one knew about and who wanted them dead. _What do I do? What can I do? Nothing. She’s broken you. You’re useless. You can’t save them. You never could._

The door to the cellar creaked as Zelena opened it, blinding Rumplestiltskin with harsh morning light. “So here you are, pet!” Zelena greeted. “Isn’t it a beautiful morning?”

“I wouldn’t know,” he said. He could barely see her, let alone the weather outside.

“I haven’t the faintest idea why you ended up in here,” she said. “Perhaps dear Snow still bears a grudge over, well… there’s quite a list to choose from, isn’t there?”

But he knew why he was here. To ensure that Snow didn’t just leave him and Zelena behind in the Enchanted Forest, Zelena had tied them to the memory potion she had used to modify the curse; this basement and the presumed attached house was her creation. He was not here by accident; it was a deliberate reminder of how far he’d fallen. He felt despair clawing at him, and the Dark One screaming for blood. He let the Dark One speak to him; it was his only ally now.

It started laughing.

XxXxXxX

August was in his father’s living room. _What?_ Last thing he knew he’d been at the town line saying goodbye to Emma and Henry. He remembered the clouds consuming them and then… nothing. “Papa?”

“Pinocchio?” his father called from the workshop.

But then August heard someone else. “Hello? Is someone there?” a woman called faintly.

“Hello?” August called back, looking around for the source of the voice. 

“Is anyone there? We’re down here!”

It was coming from the basement. He opened the door and stared. What had been an unfinished space with cement walls and sturdy but simple wooden stairs was now finished and set up like a small apartment. A man and woman were standing by the bed, which was covered by a homespun blanket that Papa had saved from his parents. It had spent the duration of the curse draped over the back of his couch.

“Please,” the woman said. “Can you tell us where we are?” She was a few years younger than August, with long, blonde hair in ringlets, dressed in a button-up blouse and knee-length skirt.

“This is my father’s house,” August said, “I think something’s gone wrong with the curse.”

“Curse?”

The man (dark haired, dressed in jeans and a polo shirt) exchanged glances with the woman. “Why are we dressed so strangely?” the man asked.

“Strangely?”

“This place,” the woman said, “It’s so odd. The lights… are they magic?”

 _Magic? Oh, no._ “You’re not from Storybrooke, are you?” August asked. 

“No,” the woman said. “Where is Storybrooke? Please, we have a son; let us go, we need to get back to him!”

“Woah. You are _not_ prisoners, I promise. Why don’t you come up while I try to figure out what’s going on.” He gestured hopefully. Still at the top of the stairs, he felt like he was looming them; this whole thing was getting really creepy.

“Pinocchio,” Papa called from behind him, “What’s going on?”

He stepped away from the stairs. “Something went wrong with the curse; Regina must have done something.” He gestured to the man and the woman again, “Come up. I know people; we can figure this out.”

“Thank you,” the woman said, finally taking his advice. When she came into view, Papa looked at her strangely, almost stricken. 

“Papa, are you all right?” August asked.

“I… I don’t know. What has happened?”

August took out his phone. “I’ll call… I guess I can’t call Emma.” He sighed. “I’ll call Belle; if anyone knows what’s going on, it’s Gold.”

Papa nodded. “Yes, of course.” But he was watching the women intently. She had reached the top of the stairs, and was looking at him in confusion. He let out a small cry.

“Papa?” August asked.

“Mama,” Papa said quietly, his hands clutched in front of him.

“ _Mama?_ How… ? Gold said…” Suspicious, August looked at the date on his phone. _June 2013!?_ “We’ve been gone for ten months!” 

XxXxXxX

“Elsa!” Anna cried. She remembered sealing Elsa in the urn and then Ingrid freezing her and Kristoff. She had no idea how they had come to this strange house or found these strange clothes, but at least Elsa was all right.

“Anna!”

They hugged, the ostentatious necklace Elsa was wearing (a thick chain decorated with some kind of large, turquoise stone) digging in to Anna’s chest. “I’m so, so sorry, Elsa! I didn’t want to put you in that urn! Ingrid cursed me, it turned me against you-”

“Urn?” Elsa asked. “What urn?”

“The magic urn, the one you found Ingrid in.”

“Who’s Ingrid?”

Ann blinked. “Our aunt.”

“We have an aunt?”

“Yes, she had ice powers like you do. She tricked you, and then she cursed me, and then she froze us - you don’t remember any of that? I mean, except the freezing; you were in the urn by then; you wouldn’t know about that.”

“Woah,” Elsa said, “Slow down. Do you know where we are now?”

“No idea. Maybe it’s some kind of cursed prison? Or a netherworld? I read this book in the library once-”

“If it is,” Kristoff said, pulling back a curtain to look out the window, “We’re not the only ones trapped here.”

Anna ran over to him (the soles of her shoes were really thick and bouncy!) and looked out too. Elsa crowded in behind her. The streets were filled with people, standing in the streets or coming out of the strange, tall buildings. They were all looking around confused.

“Well,” Anna said, “At least we’re not the only ones who don’t know where we are.”

XxXxXxX

“Rumple?” Belle called. “Bae?” She remembered the curse clouds swallowing them, watching as Rumple hugged Bae as tightly as he could, as if his grip would keep him from getting ripped away to Neverland. But now she was standing in the kitchen of their house in Storybrooke, alone.

“Here!” Bae called from the living room. Relieved, Belle hurried into the dining room, meeting Bae there. 

“Rumple?” she called again.

“Papa?” 

But the voice that answered them was not Rumple’s. “Hello?” a young girl called from upstairs.

“Who’s there?” Belle called back. Bae followed her into the foyer, and they both looked up. A girl with light brunette hair was standing at the top of the staircase, gazing around bewildered.

“Wendy?” Bae asked astonishment.

“Who… Baelfire? Is it you?”

“Yes! How are you here? This… this can’t be right.”

“You’re right,” Wendy said, taking a step back. “This doesn’t make any sense. Not unless… you’re one of Pan’s games. He’s never done anything like this before, but…”

“No!” he objected, “I’m not, I promise. Pan is crippled; we destroyed the Shadow. I was being sent back…” he looked at Belle helplessly.

“We need Rumple,” Belle said. “He’ll know what’s going on.” This was clearly the result of some kind of spell; no one knew magic like Rumple. “Rumple!” she called again.

“Who is Rumple?” Wendy asked.

“My father,” Bae said, pulling out his phone. 

Wendy took another step back. “Now I know this is a trick; Baelfire told me his father is dead.”

Bae stopped dialing. “I lied, I’m sorry. He was cursed, I thought… he chose his power over me. I was angry.”

That was far more openness than Belle had come to expect from Baelfire. She touched his shoulder. “He regretted every moment,” she said.

“I know.” He looked up at Wendy. “Things are different now. Something’s happened. I was supposed to be sent back to Neverland, but somehow we’re still all here. And now you’re here.” He finished dialing, and they heard the answering ring from inside the house.

“Rumple?” Belle called out once more, following the sound into his study. His phone was lying abandoned on his desk, his cane was leaning against the wall, and Rumple himself was nowhere to be found. “Rumple!”

XxXxXxX

“So what do we know?” Mary Margaret asked her Council, her hand placed protectively over the baby she could not remember conceiving.. Three people were conspicuously absent from this meeting: Emma, Henry, and Rumplestiltskin. Regina was also present, but Hook, who had come by searching for Emma, had been sent away; Regina, Belle, and Baelfire had refused to continue the meeting with him there. Mary Margaret could not disagree.

“We know we went back to the Enchanted Forest,” August began. “Gold specifically told us that was the only place the curse on my grandparents could be lifted. They’re human again, so we must have made it back.”

“Good,” Mary Margaret said, “That’s something.”

“We know someone cast a new curse,” Regina said. “This one isn’t mine; I’m as in the dark as any of you.”

“Are we sure?” Leroy said. “How can we trust you?”

“Because if I were in charge, I wouldn’t be wasting my time with this!” Regina snapped.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” August said, “But for some reason, I believe her.”

“Thanks for the confidence,” Regina huffed.

“I believe her too,” Mary Margaret said. It was just a feeling she had. If August was feeling the same thing, perhaps something had happened in those ten months to make them feel that way.

“I found Emma online,” August continued. “She’s a bail bondsperson in New York.”

“Is Henry with her?” Regina asked sharply.

“I don’t know. She doesn’t have Facebook; all I found was work stuff.” 

“Emma likes to keep her online presence low,” David said. Mary Margaret and August nodded knowingly.

“But we know she’s in New York,” Mary Margaret said, “We can find her.”

“Not so fast,” Regina said. “I took their memories, remember? She’s back to square one as the Savior, assuming she can even break this new curse. And this time, she won’t have Henry’s help.”

“But she’ll have ours,” August said. “She’s already believed once.”

“Because of Henry,” Regina reminded him.

“Then we get him to believe first,” August said, “It shouldn’t be hard; he’s the Truest Believer. All we need is the Book.”

“Aren’t we getting ahead of ourselves?” Bae asked. “We don’t even know who cast this one.”

“Whoever they were,” Regina said, “They were sloppy. We all remember our true selves; all that’s missing are the last ten months.”

Leroy snorted. “Yeah, all. Might not seem like a big deal to you, but Nova…” he trailed off suddenly, looking at the fairy apologetically.

She took his hand. “It’s all right, Dreamy. Everyone can know. My wings are gone,” she told them. “But I do still have my wand.”

“Then I say that’s ten buck on Blue,” August said darkly. “What if this was her plan from the beginning? To cast her own curse?”

Regina snorted. “You’re a idiot,” she said. “The Dark Curse is the darkest magic; the Blue Fairy can’t cast something like this. And she’s not this sloppy.”

“Maybe she changed it somehow,” he insisted, “Made her own version. Maybe she wants us to remember for some reason.”

“I can feel it around us,” Regina said, “It’s still dark magic. And you’re forgetting something: the price. What does the Blue Fairy love enough to sacrifice its heart for the curse?”

“I don’t know. Her second in command?”

“She doesn’t really have one,” Nova said. “She has favorites, but none of us were allowed to be close to her.”

“Well, then,” August asked Regina, “What’s your idea?”

“My first thought was Rumple, since he’s apparently missing…” she said.

“That can’t be,” Bae said, “He would have had to sacrifice me or Belle.”

Regina nodded. “That’s what I was about to say.”

“So who’s left?” Ruby asked. 

“Anyone,” Regina said. “Remember that Owen was able cast one. With some help and the right heart, anyone can do it.”

“Help,” Belle said, “You mean Rumple? Could that be were he is? Could someone have taken the dagger like Owen did?”

“It’s a distinct possibility,” Regina said. “Or someone could have taken the dagger and killed him with it; we could be looking a new Dark One. I’d take a closer look at Hook, if I were you,” she said.

“That’s why you didn’t want him here,” Nova said.

“I didn’t want him here because we _know_ he’s the reason we are in this mess. If he’d never led Owen to the dagger, I never would have had to reverse the last curse, and none of this would have happened! And suppose he is the new Dark One? He was asking about Emma, right? The one place that even the Dark One couldn’t get to without casting a new curse is right here - Earth.”

“You think he brought us all back here to find Emma?” David asked.

“Like I said, it’s possible. And he _is_ this sloppy.”

“But then whose heart did he sacrifice?” August asked.

“I don’t know - that little troll in the red hat? His ship’s? The price is the thing you love most; it doesn’t have to be a person.”

“The ship’s still in the harbor,” Leroy said.

“Well, I don’t know! Why don’t some of you offer some possibilities?” she said defensively.

“Rumple’s not dead,” Belle said, “I know it.”

“How could you know that?” Regina needled.

“Because he’s her True Love,” Mary Margaret said. “I don’t care how far away we are; I would feel it if something happened to David.”

Regina tossed her hands up, “Of course!”

“True Love can do that,” Nova agreed. “There are many stories of people who felt it when their True Love died.”

“Suppose Rumple is alive - that doesn’t mean whoever did this doesn’t have the dagger.”

“Yes,” Bae said. “And Wendy is here. What if we did go to Neverland, and Pan got the dagger? What if this is his curse?”

“I imagine that would be very bad,” August said.

“He’d be after Henry,” Regina realized, “If it is him, we can’t bring Henry back.”

“If it is him, is there anything stopping him from going after Henry now?” August asked. “I thought Gold said that you could cross the town line before.”

“I could. I did,” Regina said. It was rare for her to show fear, but Mary Margaret could see it now. “We have to find them. Now.”

“Can we even leave town?” August asked.

“That’s a good question; let’s find out,” Regina said resolutely. 

XxXxXxX

Zelena cackled with glee as the allergy-ridden dwarf drew the short straw, approached the town line, and disappeared. Rumplestiltskin jumped when he heard a loud shriek from outside, and the flying monkeys started chattering. 

Zelena laughed louder. “Come, now Rumple, you should be used to my pets by now. Every time someone tries to cross they will join my flock. Ingenious, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” his curse forced him to answer. And she’d been clever to send them here before the transformation; the Wizard of OZ was well known in this world, and anyone would associate flying monkeys with the Wicked Witch. And Robin Hood, at least, had had some personal experience there; it wouldn’t take much to connect the dots. 

Their only hope now was the Savior, but what hope could there be when no one could cross the town line?

XxXxXxX

“I feel naked,” Elsa complained, “This tunic is too short for these leggings.” She tugged the hem of the turquoise garment, but it still barely covered her buttocks. The soft (definitely not wool) gray leggings were also thinner and more form fitting than any of them had ever seen before. Elsa wished she’d insisted on changing her clothing before they joined the crowd in the street, but Anna and Kristoff thought that her usual gown would stand out too much in this strange place. Elsa hated it here; everything felt wrong.

“I think that’s just how they dress here,” Kristoff said, “See?” Sure enough, two other women were wearing similar leggings, with tunics even shorter than Elsa’s. It didn’t make her feel any better.

“I still don’t like it,” Elsa said.

“Excuse me!” said Anna, boldly approaching a very tall, bald man. “May I ask your name, Sir?”

“Dove.”

“Oh! Dove, that’s a lovely name. I am… Joan. Could you please tell us where we are?”

“Storybrooke,” he said simply.

“And where is that?” Anna asked cheerfully.

“Maine.”

“And where is Maine?”

“Earth.”

“All right… let’s try this another way. Maine is a province? In the country of Earth?”

“No. Earth is a planet.”

Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff all exchanged confused looks. “Planet?” Elsa asked, terrified, “We’re on a different _planet_?”

“What’s a planet?’ Kristoff asked.

Anna and Elsa looked at him. “You don’t know what a planet is?” Anna asked.

He shrugged defensively. “Not all of us got a royal education, you know.”

“Grandpappy never taught you about planets?”

“No. What are they?”

“Other worlds,” Elsa said, looking around in awe. “They hang in the night sky with the stars.” _How far are we from home?_ She was suddenly angry, and that scared her. Her powers were begging to be used. _No. Stop._

“How could we possibly be on another world?” Kristoff asked.

“The curse,” Dove said.

“What curse?” Anna asked. “Ingrid’s curse?”

“Regina’s curse.”

“Who’s Regina?”

“Regina!” a woman said from behind them. She was wearing a tunic like Elsa’s, but it was bright green and decorated with spangles embroidered into a leaf pattern. Her shoes, also, were made of some kind of green, sparkly material, and her tight, black trousers were torn badly at the knees. “She did this?”

“Who is Regina?” Kristoff asked the woman.

“Leopold’s Queen. Rumplestiltskin’s apprentice. I tried to help her once and it landed me in Neverland,” she said bitterly.

“Rumplestiltskin!” Anna exclaimed. “Could he have brought us here?”

“Not Rumplestiltskin,” Dove said. “Regina.”

“Why Regina?” Anna asked. “We don’t know Regina! But I do know Rumplestiltskin. I took something from him, and-”

“You took something from Rumplestiltskin?” the blonde woman asked. “And you’re still alive?”

“Well, yeah. I got his dagger, you see…”

“The dagger? The Dark One’s dagger? You have it?”

“Well, not anymore. I gave it back.”

“What!? Why?”

“Because it controls him. I mean, he’s evil and everything, but controlling people is wrong. But I did order him not to harm us,” she told Elsa and Kristoff, who were staring at her in horror. “Maybe he sent us here because he couldn’t do anything else to us?” 

“No,” Dove said. 

“How do you know that?” Kristoff asked, “Do you know why we’re here?”

“No,” Dove said. “Come. Emma can explain.”

“Who is Emma?”

“The Sherriff.”

“A woman Sherriff?” Anna asked.

“Yes.”

She grinned. “I think I like this planet!”

Elsa didn’t understand what was going on. She could feel her control starting to slip, and who knew what these people would do if they learned what she was? She grit her teeth and focused on Anna. _Anna’s not scared; she’ll find a way home._ Elsa wasn’t sure she believed it, but she had to pretend. She didn’t want to hurt these people. Anna followed Dove, bombarding him with cheerful questions, and asking the name of the woman in green (Tinker Bell, apparently). Elsa followed in silence.

XxXxXxX

“Order! Order, please!” Mary Margaret called. David expected that half of the town was here, and the other half was at home listening to the radio broadcast. Whoever had cast this curse - be it Hook, Pan, or someone else - had brought back many people who had not come with the first curse (including his old friend Joan, who was apparently actually Princess Anna of Arendale - and all of the Lost Boys, who had somehow ended up sharing a home with Gaston and LeFou), and these people had no memories or knowledge about this new world. Even the people who had been brought by the first curse had been utterly unprepared for the sudden shift in the town, and Rumplestiltskin was not the only person unaccounted for. 

They had been necessary to call a town meeting to keep everyone from panicking and trying to cross the town line. At least with the first curse, they had known that crossing wasn’t fatal; now, even Regina had no idea what had happened to Sneezy.

“What happened?” a voice in the crowd demanded.

“What’s going on?”

David envied the members of the Council that had been allowed to skip this meeting. He had to be here to present a united front with Mary Margaret, but public speaking had never been one of his skills. He fully intended to let her and Archie do most of the talking.

“Order, please!” Mary Margaret shouted, “I need your attention so that I may answer your questions!” Eventually the crowd quieted down enough for her to continue.

“First and foremost, I must warn everyone to stay away from the town line. The curse on it has changed. No longer do we lose our memories of we cross; now, anyone who crosses disappears.” The crowd descended into shouting and furious whispers. “ORDER PLEASE! We are doing everything in our power to keep you safe!”

“Safe from what?”

“Who did this?”

“The Queen!”

“We know it was her!”

“Please!” Mary Margaret shouted. “Panic will help no one!”

“Hey!” Anna shouted, getting up to stand on her chair, “Everyone be quiet! She’s trying to help you if you would just let her talk!” It didn’t work; the crowd only got louder. Frowning, Anna got down and said something to her sister. Queen Elsa looked reluctant, but nodded, and stood up, extending her hands. Suddenly, it started snowing lightly in the middle of the theater.

The crowd fell silent and looked at her. Panicked, Elsa looked at her sister, but Anna only gestured encouragingly to her. Eyes wide, Elsa began to speak. “I… I am Queen Elsa of Arendale. I am as confused as any of you. But… whatever has happened, whatever had brought me and my sister here to your land, we are here, and we will help you in whatever way we can. Queen Snow and Prince David tell us this is a curse. I have magic, and I… I will help you break it.”

“Thank you, Queen Elsa,” Snow said before the crowd got a chance to respond. “We are aware that Storybrooke had changed. Many new people now have homes within our borders. We know that ten months have passed since the last day any of us can remember, and we know that on that day, Regina was forced to reverse the first curse that created Storybrooke and sent us all back to our homes.” Over the rising din of the crowd, Mary Margaret continued, “We do not know who cast this new curse-”

“It was the Queen!”

“The Queen!”

“She did this to us!”

“Quiet please! We do not know who is responsible!” Snow shouted, but it was no use.

“Then what good are you?”

“Where is the Sherriff?”

“Forget the Sherriff, where is the Dark One?”

Mr. Dove (who had shown great concern that Rumplestiltskin was missing) mounted the stage then, his arms crossed, and his expression stern. The effect on the crowd was even more immediate than Elsa’s snow.

To the now quiet room, he simply said, “Mr. Gold would like you to listen to Ms. Blanchard.” Then he bowed to Mary Margaret and left the stage, taking up his vacated position against the wall. The crowd did not get out of control again.

XxXxXxX

“Thank you,” David said to Elsa as the meeting adjourned. “We really appreciate your help. I promise that after we learn who is behind this new curse, we will help you find a way home.”

“Thank you,” Elsa said. She seemed anxious and short of breath. David was concerned but did not comment on it.

“Who is Mr. Gold?” Anna asked.

“That’s Rumplestiltskin’s name in this land,” Mary Margaret explained.

“Rumplestiltskin! …Is it because he’s sparkly?” Involuntarily, David snorted.

“Sparkly?” Kristoff asked.

“I’m not actually sure,” Mary Margaret said, trying not to smile. “You’ll have to ask Regina. He also likes to spin straw into gold, so that may have been what she was thinking.”

“Sparkly?” Kristoff repeated.

“And scaly. Sparkly scales,” Anna said.

“Not here,” David explained, trying not to laugh. “Here, he looks as human as anyone else. It’s the same for everyone.”

“Everyone?”

“Several of us have other forms in the enchanted forest,” Archie explained. “I am a cricket there, for example. And Mr. Dove was, well, a Dove. We didn’t get to meet properly before. My name is Archie Hopper.” He offered his hand to shake. Anna and Kristoff took it; Elsa held back, her hands clasped in front of her.

“Elsa?” Anna asked, concerned.

“It’s all right,” Elsa said. “It’s just… a lot to get used to.”

“Take your time,” Mary Margaret said. “This world is very different; we know that it’s a shock.”

“You said you had others helping you?” Kristoff asked.

“Yes,” Mary Margaret said. “If you would like to come with us, we are going to convene with the rest of the Council at the library.” 

“Mary Margaret…” David said, touching her back. Regina was supposed to be there, and they had already agreed to keep her involvement quiet for the time being to avoid a public panic.

Mary Margaret looked at him. “They’ve offered to help, David. And they don’t have history with Regina,” she added quietly.

He nodded. “All right.”

“Actually,” Elsa said, “I don’t feel very well. Anna, you go with them I’ll… is there an inn here?”

“Actually, there is,” Mary Margaret said, “But you shouldn’t need one. Everyone who was brought by the curse was given a home. You said you appeared inside an apartment? It was probably yours.”

“How do we know?” Elsa asked.

“Do any of you have any identification?” David asked, “It should have your address on it.”

“Identification?” Kristoff asked.

“Right. Identification is… a record. Like this.” David pulled out his wallet and showed them his deputy’s badge and driver’s license. My address is listed here, see?” And he did not miss that it had been updated to the loft instead of the house his cursed self had shared with Kathryn.

Anna and Kristoff felt in their pockets. Anna had some spare change and a house key, and Kristoff had a full wallet. “I have a bunch of these cards too. De-bit card - what is that? And what’s it made out of?” He pulled it out, peering at it suspiciously. 

“Plastic,” Margaret said. “It’s… complicated.” She looked at David. “I wonder if we need some kind of class to help the people who weren’t taken by the first curse. There’s a lot to explain.”

“That’s a good idea,” Archie agreed. “Let me know what you decide; I’m sure Belle would be happy to make the library available.”

“Oh, I found a card like you have,” Kristoff said, pulling out a driver’s license. “I can’t read this; the letters are too tiny.”

David read off the address, and by asking a few questions, they were able to confirm that it was indeed the apartment they had all appeared in. “Thank you,” Elsa said in relief, taking a step back. 

Anna followed her. “I’ll go back with you,” she said. “Kristoff, can you help the Council?”

“Anna, it’s not necessary,” Elsa said.

“You’re doing it again,” Anna accused.

“Doing what again?”

“Withdrawing. We’re sisters! We need to stick together.”

“Yeah,” Kristoff said. “No offense, Elsa, but you don’t always do well on your own. You and Anna go home; I’ll catch up.”

She put a hand to her forehead. “All right,” she agreed quietly.

“I was lovely to meet you,” Mary Margaret said, “I hope you feel better soon.”

Elsa looked at her, more panic than fatigue in her expression. “Thank you.”

XxXxXxX

“So what is the matter?” Anna asked as soon as they had left the theater. Elsa feeling unwell was never a good thing, even if those tiny snowmen had been cute.

“I’ll… I’ll tell you when we get back.”

“Tell me now.”

“No,” she said. She leaned towards Anna. “Someone might overhear.”

“Oh.”

Elsa walked briskly, and Anna nearly had to run to keep up (her new, bouncy shoes made running so much easier than boots!). They almost got lost for a minute until Anna spotted the clock tower, and they were able to find their way from there. All around them, there were people either hurrying somewhere or gathered in small groups; they all seemed afraid.

When they made it back to the apartment, Anna immediately turned towards Elsa. “So what is wrong? Are you all right? Is it your powers? It looked like they were working fine…”

Elsa touched her forehead again. “It… it is my powers. I think. Something feels wrong.”

“Wrong? They were working fine.”

“Yes, they were, but something just… feels wrong.”

“Wrong how? 

“I don’t know; I can’t explain it. I just feel afraid, like…”

“Like?”

“Like I might hurt someone,” she admitted.

“You won’t. That’s just your fear talking, like Grandpappy said. You’re so afraid you might hurt someone that you focus on your negative emotions, which influences your magic, which makes you more afraid. Just relax,” she let out a deep breath to demonstrate, “And remember that I’m right here. Your powers are working fine. You used them today and you didn’t hurt anyone. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“All right,” she said reluctantly. “But I think I should lie down.” She smiled weakly and tugged at the hem of her tunic. “At least I’m already in my sleep clothes.”

Anna grinned and hugged her. “Everything will work out, you’ll see.”


	19. Adrift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: sexual assault, psychological manipulation/torture, & implied rape

“Who’s he?” Regina asked rudely when Mr. Dove, Archie, David, and Mary Margaret arrived with a stranger. Belle wished that Regina were not involved, but she would do anything to find Rumple, even tolerate working with the woman who had imprisoned her.

“This is Kristoff. He was brought here from Arendale with Queen Elsa and Princess Anna,” Mary Margaret explained.

Belle’s head snapped up. “Anna?” 

“Yes,” Kristoff said. “Have you met her?”

“Yes, I…” The implications suddenly hit her. “Ingrid.”

Kristoff gave her a hard stare. “You know Ingrid?”

“Ingrid,” Mary Margaret repeated, “Didn’t Rumplestiltskin warn us about her?”

“Yes,” David said, “She owns the ice cream parlor. Gold said that she’s a dark magic user.”

“She is,” Kristoff said ominously, “Is she here? Could she have brought us here?”

“Yes,” Regina said, “Providing she loved someone enough to sacrifice their heart.”

Kristoff looked at her. “I don’t know who that could be. All I know is that she’s obsessed with Elsa because she has ice powers too.”

“Elsa’s here, she’s alive,” David pointed out.

“But she wasn’t feeling well,” Mary Margaret added.

“If Ingrid had used her heart, she’d be doing a lot worse than not feeling well,” Regina snapped. 

“Still, we should speak with Ingrid,” Bae said. “I remember Papa said that Ingrid wasn’t a threat before because she’s entirely focused on her family and none of them were here. If they’re here now…” Belle nodded. She remembered that; she’d been the one to bring it up. Based on what Rumple had said, she’d been content to let it lie at the time, too overwhelmed by everything else that had happened (and, she had to admit, to ashamed by what she’d done to Anna) to pursue it further. She should have pursued it. Rumple might by paying now for what she’d failed to do then. 

“She’s another distraction we do not need,” Regina objected.

“She’s very dangerous,” Kristoff said before Belle could retort. “We need to keep Elsa away from her.”

“We need to find Rumple,” Regina said. “He must know what’s going on; he always does. Either he’s responsible-” Belle and Bae tried to protest but Regina ignored them, “Or whoever is has the dagger. Maybe it is Ingrid; maybe it’s not. In either case, the best thing we can do is track him down.”

“Rumple?” Kristoff asked.

“Rumplestiltskin,” Regina said with a challenging stare.

“You call the Dark One ‘Rumple’?” Kristoff asked incredulously.

“Yes, although I wouldn’t suggest that you do,” she said haughtily.

Regina’s solution did appear to be the most logical; if Rumple was not with Ingrid, he could certainly help protect Elsa from her once they found him. Belle knew she shouldn’t trust it, but agreed, “I know Rumple can help us.”

“But why would he?” Kristoff asked.

“Because we’ll ask him to,” Bae said.

“Why would he listen to you?”

“I’m his son. And Belle is his True Love,” Baelfire said.

Kristoff stared. “Son? The Dark One has a son? And a True Love?”

“Believe me, it was just as much a surprise to the rest of us,” Leroy said. 

“Can we stop chatting and actually get to work?” Regina huffed. “I found a zoning map at City Hall.” She had it spread out on the table before her, certain areas highlighted with magic. “This new curse has created a lot of small changes.” 

“And who, exactly, are you?” Kristoff asked, echoing Regina’s earlier question. “The Dark One’s sister?”

“God, no!” she objected. “I was his apprentice. I’m now known as the Evil Queen.”

“ _Former_ Evil Queen,” Mary Margaret said, ruining Regina’s attempt to be intimidating.

“You’re not evil anymore?” Kristoff asked.

“She’d not a queen anymore,” Leroy said. “The evil part is up for debate.”

“Leroy, Regina is helping us,” Mary Margaret scolded.

“Until she finds Henry. And then she’ll let us rot. Or curse us all again.”

“Henry wouldn’t like that,” Bae said. “And if we find my father by then, it won’t matter anyway.”

“So, basically, our fate rests on finding Gold?” Leroy asked.

“Basically,” Bae deadpanned.

“Great.”

Regina rolled her eyes but began to explain what she’d found. “I expect whoever cast the curse to have enough of an ego not to be living in a cheap apartment; at the very least, they need somewhere big enough to stash Rumple if they do indeed have the dagger. The biggest change is this new mansion on the west side, and it has no registered owner. Now maybe they’re just trying to dodge their property taxes, but I say that’s our first place to check.”

“Could it be a trap?” Leroy asked.

“Of course it could.”

“We should still check,” David said. “What other changes have there been?”

“Well, I didn’t have the previous map memorized, but I know this apartment building is twice the size it used to be, and this area of the woods was not developed before.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I was looking at this parcel of land for the playground; Rumple wouldn’t sell it to me. These houses were definitely not here. I checked; he’s still listed as the owner for this entire area.”

“We need to check those as well, then.”

“We can go through Papa’s records,” Bae suggested. “If anyone is living there, there should be a copy of the rental agreement in his office. And if there isn’t, that might be a red flag.”

“Good idea,” David said.

“We’ll get right on that,” Belle said, standing up. She needed to do something, and her own research into Rumple’s notes on the curse (she’d been looking to see if there was a way to identify the caster) had yielded nothing.

Mary Margaret nodded. “Let us know what you find. We’ll start with the mansion tonight.”

“Uh, do you think that’s wise?” David asked, looking pointedly at Mary Margaret’s belly. 

Mary Margaret glared at him and placed a hand over her growing child. “I did not hide away with Emma, David, and I will not hide away with this one.”

“We lost Emma,” he pointed out.

“Only because we could not see what was really happening until it was too late!”

“Uh, David?” August said, “You probably want to stop digging.”

“He does have a point, though,” Regina said. “Magic and pregnancy can have… unexpected complications.

“We’ll go,” Leroy said, looking at Nova. “Nova has the magic, and I have the experience.” 

“The fairy?” Regina asked. “If I’m right, this place will be dripping in dark magic; that’s my area.”

Leroy sneered, but David intervened. “All the more reason for Nova to come. She was our second opinion when Rumplestiltskin was helping us after the curse broke. We’ll work with you, Regina, but you’ve got to earn our trust. Just like Rumplestiltskin did.”

Regina huffed but didn’t argue, which surprised Belle. “It’s settled, then,” the Belle said. “Please let us know if you find him.”

“We will,” Nova agreed fervently.

Belle took a step towards the door, Bae grabbing his bag to join her, but Archie stopped her with a light touch to her arm. “Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you,” he said softly. 

Belle smiled. As worried as she was, she had friends. “I will,” she said, “Thank you.”

“Gold’s a survivor,” August added, still seated.

Regina snorted. “I’ll say.” And perhaps that was the most comforting of all. Regina had no motive to lie just to make Belle feel better. If she, of all people, was certain that Rumple would be all right, Belle could certainly have faith of her own.

XxXxXxX

Unfortunately, the mansion was empty. The only unusual thing at all was an aura of light magic that both Regina and Nova were able to sense. The residents of the new houses and apartments were all accounted for (among them Gaston and LeFou, who, in addition to their new house, now had a marriage certificate dated December 29th and adoption paperwork for all eight Lost Boys). 

Ingrid appeared to have vanished, but the ice cream parlor was still in her name, and several people swore to having seen her on the first day of the new curse. August suggested that she might have found a lover at some point and used their heart to cast the curse, and even Regina agreed that she was now the most obvious suspect.

Of Rumplestiltskin, they found no sign. The dagger was nowhere to be found, but Belle insisted that he was alive, and Regina admitted that there was a good chance that he was somewhere in Storybrooke or else his property would not have been recreated (others who had not made it back - Ariel, Prince Phillip, and Sydney Glass, for example - were no longer registered as the inhabitants of their previous homes or as employees at their jobs). Belle went so far as to confront the Blue Fairy regarding Rumplestiltskin’s whereabouts, but she claimed to know nothing.

David and August attempted to contact Emma in New York, but the only phone number they found was for a bail bonds company that refused to release her information. Regina’s attempts to hire a private detective to locate Henry were equally futile; none of them ever got back to her. “Do you think Ingrid could be interfering in our communication with the outside world?” August had asked.

“Yes,” Regina had said. “Although she’s being very clever about it. She didn’t stop all communications, but is somehow intercepting these messages specifically.”

Belle and Archie tested that theory, and Regina was right; communications were exactly the same, except for the fact that any attempt to track down Emma and Henry remained unanswered. 

So they turned inward, conducting sweeps of the woods and mines. These, too, yielded nothing. The Council (aided by Regina, Mr. Dove, Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff) was starting to buckle under the frustration even as nothing seemed specifically wrong with the day-to-day life of Storybrooke. Ingrid (or wherever the caster was) never appeared to retaliate in any way for their attempts to contact Emma. No one was hurt unless they tried to cross the town line. 

Even Hook was behaving himself. According to August, the pirate could reliably be found either on his ship or at the Rabbit Hole, doing nothing more objectionable than drinking and flirting obnoxiously with the female staff. The only indication that there was still a curse in place at all was the fact that they could not leave. David didn’t know what to make of it.

Neither did Mary Margaret, but she was not going to let it poison their first glimpse at their new baby. Despite everything that was going on around them, she’d made time to schedule an ultrasound appointment. David took his wife’s hand and smiled at her as Whale touched the sensor to her belly. 

XxXxXxX

“What _are_ they doing?” Zelena asked, peering into her portal as if it offended her. She did not seem to object to this world’s technology on principle (she thoroughly enjoyed certain aspects of it, in fact, and Rumplestiltskin struggled not to think about how, exactly, she had been enjoying them), but she did have a tendency to denounce anything she did not immediately understand. It was a trait she shared with Regina; Rumplestiltskin only wished he could think of some way to exploit it.

“It’s called an ultrasound. It provides a detailed image of the fetus which the Doctor will examine for possible birth defects,” he explained instead. “It will also indicate how far along she is.”

Zelena wrinkled her nose. “Doesn’t he realize this is a child of True Love? It will be perfect.”

_True Love doesn’t work that way, dearie._ “I’m sure the Charmings will appreciate your assessment of their children,” he deadpanned.

Zelena cackled bitterly. “Isn’t that what every mother wants to hear? That their baby is perfect?” _Careful, dearie, your jealousy is showing._ Although it was less obvious now than it had been; like Rumplestiltskin’s, Zelena’s skin had been restored to a more natural hue here in Storybrooke. 

“My, that looks uncomfortable,” she said, watching Whale apply the sensor to Mary Margaret’s gel-coated belly.

“Pregnancy often is.”

“Hm.” She started stalking around the cauldron, a curled finger tapping her chin as Whale explained the state of the fetus (approximately 22 weeks along, apparently healthy, and he couldn’t determine the sex because of its position). “Not that I don’t enjoy our time together, Rumple,” Zelena said, “But eighteen months is a long time to spend in this house, waiting for dear Snow to have her baby. What would you say about exploring the town? Seeing a little of this havoc we’ve created up close?”

He didn’t know if this was a deliberate threat towards Bae and Belle or if Zelena was simply bored, but he never forgot that he would be compelled to attack his boy if he ever saw him again in person. “I think it would astronomically increase your chances of being detected by your sister.”

Zelena waved a dismissive hand. “She doesn’t even know my face.”

“She’s knows mine; everyone does. And there are those in town who may know yours. Was the thief the only person here who ever visited Oz after you came to power? Somehow, I doubt it.”

She pouted, but then stroked his jaw with an evil smile on her face. “My Rumple, always looking out for me. You really are a cautious person, aren’t you? I didn’t realize that before.”

He swallowed. “I am.” It was a kinder word than ‘coward’, but it was what she’d meant. He’d spent a great deal of his time as the Dark One convincing people that he was not a coward, and he’d been generally successful - except with the people that mattered. Bae had seen it, and then no one until Belle. That Zelena was realizing it now was only another, inevitable violation.

She smiled like it was a new intimacy. Sometimes, when she did that, he’d wondered how often she remembered that he was not here willingly, grasping at that possibility as his last hope to find some way to fight her. But he’d realized weeks ago that it was just another misdirection. She never did forget it; it simply amused her to pretend. If he were here willingly, she wouldn’t be nearly so comfortable around him.

She broke away from him, peering back into the cauldron with a look of mild amusement on her face. “Don’t worry, Rumple; I won’t risk everything now. We’re so close.”

Eighteen weeks. It was close, far too close. To someone who had lived as long a he had, it was an eye blink. But it would also be an eternity, trapped in this house with Zelena. And the monkeys. And Ingrid. But considering that the weather witch was sitting on the mantel, trapped inside Pandora’s Box, Rumplestiltskin supposed that she didn’t really count.

XxXxXxX

“Welcome, everyone!” Nova said, trying to quiet the crowd before her. As the search for Ingrid and Rumplestiltskin dragged on, Mary Margaret had decided that it was time to help the new citizens of Storybrooke adjust to this world. Anton was attempting to grow beans from cuttings he’d salvaged from the burnt remains of the field (which, if it worked, could possibly allow them to reach Emma), but it was not going well. For now and the foreseeable future, they were trapped here, and while the people who had come with the first curse were starting to get back into the pattern of life they’d known before, the new arrivals were lost.

August (whose position in the library had been somehow upgraded from volunteer to paid through this new curse - Nova had also gotten a raise) had been inviting his grandparents to the library in an attempt to familiarize them with modern culture and technology. Mary Margaret had therefore decided that he and Nova were the natural choices to help Archie organize a series of classes open to everyone who was new. This was their first meeting.

The crowed quieted just enough to allow Archie to continue. “We’re here this evening to answer your questions about Earth and help you learn the skills you will need in order to adjust to life here.”

“And what if we don’t want to do that?” Alan-a-Dale (one of Robin Hood’s Merry Men) called out. Robin glared at him, but it was August who replied.

“The Rabbit Hole’s open until midnight,” he said dryly, and the man and his companions laughed.

Nova smiled at August gratefully. “Now, the first thing we thought we’d do is gather your questions, so that we know what to cover. If you have a question, please raise your hand, and we’ll call on you. Or you can ask us after class, if you want it to be private.” Alan raised his hand. “Yes?”

“What’s he doing?” he asked, pointing to August, standing next to a whiteboard with marker in hand.

“This,” August said, writing ‘ _What’s he doing?_ ’ on the board. 

“He’s writing down your questions so we don’t miss anything,” Archie explained. The Merry Men laughed again and nudged their friend. “Now, what would you like to know?”

The group looked at each other, but Anna (unsurprisingly) was the first to raise her hand. “How do refrigerators work?”

“Um…” Nova looked at Archie who looked at August. August pulled out his phone and handed it to her.

“Google it.”

“Oh! OK, everyone, let me show you Google…”

XxXxXxX

“Belle, you need to eat something,” Bae said, looking at the untouched sandwich he’d brought her an hour ago.

She blinked at him, her eyes gritty. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not. Starving yourself isn’t going to find Papa any faster.”

She lay down the book she’d been holding and buried a hand in her hair. It was a habit she’d picked up from Bae at some point. Perhaps in the last couple of weeks. Perhaps longer. They had no idea how long Rumple had been missing, after all. “I’m scared too,” he continued, “But you can’t keep up this pace.”

“Yes, I can,” she responded automatically, but she knew it was just stubbornness.

“No, you can’t. And he wouldn’t want you to.” She really had no defense to that. She knew Bae was right, and she’d already given him a similar lecture; if she refused to listen to him now, he’d be free to ignore her the next time she had to intercede with him. With Rumple missing, she was the closest thing to a guardian Bae had. 

She sighed and took a bite of the sandwich. “This is good,” she said in surprise. Bae had a tendency to make sandwiches so simple they were bland, but this had a perfect balance of mustard and mayonnaise with the ham, cheese, and lettuce.

“Wendy made it.”

“Ah.” And then there was Wendy. With the town cut off from the outside world, they had no way to even begin attempting to locate her brothers. She was staying with them for the time being, but Belle didn’t know what she was going to do with a girl even younger than Bae who had no memories of this realm. She’d agreed to attend Archie’s classes for newcomers, and otherwise tagged along with Bae, but she needed her family.

“She went to bed,” Bae said.

“Good. You should too.” He just raised an eyebrow at her. “I need to find him, Bae,” she said. It sounded like pleading even to her own ears.

“You won’t if you can’t think straight.”

Another good point, but she didn’t imagine that she’d be able to sleep. But then, was it fair to ask of him what she wasn’t willing to do herself? She took another bite of the sandwich. After swallowing, she finally conceded. “I’ll try to sleep after I finish this.”

Bae smiled tiredly. “I’m going to take a shower,” he told her. That he would be coming down to check on her after he was finished went unsaid. That gave her fifteen minutes if she ate quickly. Maybe she would find something in those fifteen minutes.

XxXxXxX

Zelena had brought him to cage in the cellar. Bored, she’d been provoking him for weeks, even as her attention had wondered back to the town. He’d found it within him (with help from his curse) to fight back enough to redirect her interest back to himself. It had worked. Apparently better than he had planned on.

“What’s this?” he asked, affecting a bored tone. _She knows you’re sacred. Don’t let her see._

“You’ve been getting fresh with me,” she said as if this were some great flirtation. 

“I thought you liked that.” She had. Too well. _Weak. You’re weak._

She ran her pointed nails through his hair, as always standing _far too close._ His heart was pounding. If he weren’t immortal, he’d have been worried about long-term cardiovascular damage; he didn’t know how long it had been since he had had a regular heartbeat. “I do,” she purred. _Stop. Stop touching me._

He didn’t move. “Then I fail to see the point of this exercise,” he drawled. 

“Just because I like it doesn’t mean I don’t need to remind you of your place.” He’d done this on purpose, he had to keep reminding himself. He’d wanted her attention focused on him rather than his family. He closed his eyes. Like everything else, she seemed to take that as an invitation. She kissed him. Without thinking, he jerked away.

She laughed and slapped him across the face. “Into the cage!” she ordered gleefully. “I have an errand in town.”

_No. No, no, NO!_ She couldn’t. She couldn’t harm Bae simply for that small act of disobedience. He stumbled into the cage, his curse propelling him even as he mind screamed against it. “Don’t,” he pleaded.

Her grin only widened as she disappeared. His forehead fell against the wires as he sobbed.

XxXxXxX

It didn’t take long to locate Johanna. She seemed to be a creature of habit, Snow White’s nurse. She worked for a ‘cleaning service’ (this realm’s version of maids, who, thanks to so many labor saving technologies, were able to travel from home to home instead of being indentured to a single family. Zelena found the whole thing fascinatingly crass).

After work, it had become the maid’s habit to meet with Snow to discuss the incoming bundle of joy. By replacing her, Zelena would not even need to build a new rapport; she’d be embraced as the baby’s caretaker from the first. It was a simple matter to take woman’s heart and then her appearance, keeping Johanna unconscious at the farmhouse for the duration of their visits (Zelena had no interest in taking over the rest of this woman’s dull, peasant life).

She wasn’t all that thrilled by taking on her appearance either. “Ugh,” Zelena said, tugging at the shapeless floral dress, “No sense of style at all. But needs must.”

“Johanna!” Snow called as Zelena stepped into the diner. “There you are! I was getting worried.”

“Just running late,” Zelena said with a tight smile. 

“That doesn’t sound like you. Sit! Sit! I have so many questions today. What do you know about cradle cap?”

In truth, Zelena had never spent any time around babies. But Rumple had. She’d been needling him about it since they had come here, asking about Baelfire and the children he’d traded for so many years. She wondered if he realized that she’d been asking for reasons other than tormenting him. She liked to think he did, but she was starting to fear that she’d overestimated him. He’d been easier to break than she had expected; it was disappointing.

“It’s nothing serious,” she said, “You’re worrying to much. I will help you take wonderful care of this baby.”

Snow’s smile was so beatific, Zelena could see why Regina had hated her so much.

XxXxXxX

Rumplestiltskin felt it when Zelena returned. He looked up from his seat on the floor to see her smiling smugly at him, her hands crossed in front of her in a dark mimicry of lady-like posture. “Did you miss me, pet?” she asked.

She didn’t usually ask him direct questions about his feelings for her. His curse compelled him to tell her the truth, and the truth ruined the fantasy she had built around him. Today, she was clearly in the mood to punish him. “No,” he said simply. _Where did you go? What did you do?_

“Well, that’s not very nice. Perhaps I won’t tell you how my visit went after all.” He said nothing; he didn’t even stand. She was going to draw this out as much as she could, and there was nothing he could do to change it.

_Weak. Nothing. Where is your brilliant mind now?_

She pouted and approached the cage. “Don’t you want to know how my visit went?”

“Yes,” he was forced to answer. 

She nodded. “That’s more like it. But you have to earn it, Rumple, dear. First thing’s first - have you learned your lesson?”

“You never explained precisely what you took issue with.” 

She smiled sardonically. “I shouldn’t have to,” she said, “That’s the point.” And it was. Zelena wanted to be understood. Pandered to. And he’d do it if he just knew what the hell she wanted. His capitulation hadn’t satisfied her, but neither had his sparring. Nothing he did kept her attention.

_What does she want?_

_She wants to break you._

It was the only explanation that made sense. His curse and the tatters of his pride protested, but he was just so tired. He’d never been a strong person; that was why he had craved power. It had utterly betrayed him now. There was nothing left. His family, his autonomy, everything he tried to build in his life, it was gone. He had nothing. Nothing but the tricks Malcolm had taught him. _Look pathetic, laddie - let them think they’ve won._

He leaned his head against the wires and looked up at her. “Please,” he said, “Just tell me what you want.”

She snarled and reached into the cage. She grabbed a handful of his hair and slammed his head into the wires. “I told you, I shouldn’t have to.”

_What the hell do you want?!_

_I can’t do this._

_Think, you fool!_

Unthinking, he growled at her, and she smiled. She _did_ like it when he fought back. Finally, it clicked. _She needs to win._ She wanted him to fight - and to lose. She wanted to best the Dark One.

_She has._

_Apparently, once isn’t enough. Think! They must still be alive; she’d be gloating if she’d hurt them._

_If I anger her she will hurt them!_

_She hasn’t yet. She doesn’t want them; she wants you!_

_I can’t fight her anymore._

_COWARD!_

She was watching him eagerly. He didn’t know what to do. But he knew what Bae and Belle would want; they always wanted him to fight. He wrapped his hand around the wires and hauled himself to his feet. His curse was laughing at him. Zelena’s smile peeled back to show her teeth.

“You’re gong to fail, dearie,” he said. As attacks went, it was feeble. They both knew he didn’t believe it. 

Still, her eyes lit up as she laughed. 

XxXxXxX

“It’s good to see you, Belle. Have a seat.”

She did. “It’s good to see you too, Archie. I’m sorry I haven’t been at the library much.”

He smiled encouragingly. “Everyone understands. And August assures me that he and Nova have it well under control. How have you been?”

_Isn’t it obvious?_ But she knew he expected her to say aloud; it was part of the process. “Badly,” she confessed. “That’s why I came here. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that…”

“You’re here as a client,” he said, “You’re under enormous stress and very busy. I understand, I promise you.”

Not everyone did. Plenty of people seemed happy to be rid of the Dark One, or convinced that his disappearance meant he was behind the new curse. No one had had the courage to say it to her face, but she’d overheard more than a few comments. She’d also caught Ruby and Granny barking at a few more (werewolf hearing being what it was). She appreciated their support, but even they did not understand. No one did except, “Bae says I cannot carry on like this,” she began. “And he’s been good about keeping his appointments with you. I thought… he’s right.”

“How have you been coping with Rumplestiltskin’s disappearance?”

“Not well. I’ve been throwing myself in trying to find him, but Bae’s right; I can barely think straight anymore. I can’t help him like this.”

“How have you been sleeping?”

“Badly. I’ve been having nightmares again.”

“Can you tell me about them?”

“Not the details. I know… they’re a jumble. My imprisonment. Rumple being trapped somewhere. Ingrid.” 

“Can you tell me about Ingrid? I understand you had an altercation with her concerning Anna.”

“I betrayed Anna,” Belle said bluntly. “She’s forgiven me, but… what if this is my fault? If Ingrid has imprisoned Rumple, what if I could have prevented this by confessing to him? I knew Ingrid was dangerous, and I never…” She was crying. Archie handed her a tissue.

“I believe that we are all responsible for our own actions.”

“Unless we’re controlled,” she said. “If Ingrid has the dagger, Rumple cannot resist her. This isn’t his fault!”

“Do you think it’s possible that you forced Ingrid to do any of this? If it is indeed her doing?”

“Of course not!”

“Then you are not responsible. I recall a time when Snow let Regina live. Do you believe that she is responsible for what Regina chose to do with her life after that?”

“No, but she was acting out of mercy. I was ashamed; that was the only reason I didn’t speak up.”

“Do your reasons influence how and why Ingrid made her own choices?”

“I… I suppose not. But I should have said something!”

“You may have. We don’t know how Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff were freed.”

“Oh. I hadn’t thought about that. But it doesn’t matter; what matters now is finding Rumple!”

“Have you let go of your guilt, then?”

“It doesn’t matter,” she repeated. “Even if you are right, it doesn’t change what I did before. And I need… I need to find Rumple. I feel like I can’t breathe. I won’t be able to until I know he’s all right. I _have_ to find him.”

She knew that he would come back to the guilt issue, but he said, “I understand. It’s a terrible trauma to be separated from someone this way-”

“Like Rumple and Bae. But at least Rumple knew where he was! He knew he would see him again.” Belle rubbed her eyes. “Bae didn’t. Oh, Bae…”

“Have you been worried about Bae?”

“Of course. He’s been through so much. He and Rumple… they were finally getting along. He was worried before… I know he’s afraid that Rumple is… dead. But I _know_ he’s not. He’s somewhere in Storybrooke, but where? Storybrooke isn’t that large; it’s shouldn’t be this hard to find him!” She was angry now, like she’d been at Regina when she’d first been taken. 

“What will you do if he’s not found?”

“He will be! If not in Storybrooke, then we’ll look elsewhere! Someone cast this new curse and they must know something; he’d be a threat to them if he were here. They must have the dagger or imprisoned him somehow. I looked through the inventory at the shop; Pandora’s Box is missing.” It wasn’t the only thing, but it was the most suspicious.

“Have you told Mary Margaret?”

“Yes, of course.” But it hadn’t gone anywhere. Had Ingrid known that Rumple had Pandora’s Box? Had Pan? They had no idea.

“Can you explain to me what you’re thinking when you think about Rumplestiltskin?”

“I think he could be hurt. I found this book in his collection… Some of the other Dark Ones, they had masters that were… not kind.” That was an understatement. Some of those records had been horrific. Zoso had desired death over continuing to serve the Duke, and his treatment had been mild in comparison to some of the others. And she knew what Ingrid and Pan were capable of. 

“And what do you feel when you think of that?”

“Helpless. I want to save him, and I can’t. I feel sick when I think about him being hurt like that.”

“Have you been eating regularly?”

“Bae makes sure that I do. I make sure that he does, and it would be a terrible example if I didn’t, wouldn’t it?”

“Do you feel better when you do?”

“I suppose so. It is easier to think when I’m not light-headed,” she said with a self-depreciating laugh.

“But it’s setting an example for Baelfire that motivates you to do it.”

“He needs me to. And Rumple needs me to watch over him until he gets back.”

“Do you think taking care of Baelfire is helping you cope?”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way, but yes, I suppose it is.”

“Can you tell me why?”

“Because he needs me. And I _know_ Rumple would want this. Wherever he is, he would want Bae taken care of.”

“You feel like you’re helping him.”

“Yes.” 

“Does that make you feel more in control?”

She let out a heavy sigh, finally able to see a way through. “Yes.”

“Are there other things that you can do that might help you feel the same way?”

She smiled despite herself. “Take care of his things. Take care of myself.” She’s been doing the former, not so much the latter. “Punishing myself will not help him; he won’t want that.”

Archie nodded. “It can be difficult, and sleep disturbances in particular can be difficult to treat. One thing that might help is setting a schedule. Both sleep and appetite are influenced by our bodies’ circadian rhythms; working with those rhythms can help. It might also help to use meals as a chance to spend time with Baelfire.”

“Yes, that’s a good idea. Thank you, Archie; this has been very helpful.”

He smiled. “That’s what I’m here for.”

XxXxXxX

Hook started out at the horizon, a nearly empty bottle of rum in his hand. He didn’t know who or what had brought about this new curse, but then he’d never really concerned himself with details like that (and it wasn’t as if the heroes who ruled this town were willing to share them with him anyway). What mattered was finding a way out. 

There was nothing for him here. Emma was gone, and he did not understand the ‘technology’ of this place. There was one tavern with decent liquor and friendly company (although the latter paled to his desire for Sherriff Swan), but otherwise there was nothing at all for him to do. No sea to sail, nor even his revenge to plot; the Crocodile was missing and even Baelfire had been unable to track him.

Could he have succeeded? Had he killed the Crocodile during those missing ten months? That would be a cruel irony, to finally avenge Milah and then forget that he had. 

He wondered if this place was a purgatory. He was as trapped here as he had been in Neverland, and while death was not around every corner, that also meant that there was nothing left but to stagnate, facing day after day without purpose or excitement.

He took a swig of his rum. _Perhaps the Crocodile got his revenge after all._


	20. Homecoming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: psychological manipulation/torture

"Thank you,” Elsa told Granny. The old woman smiled at her, expertly delivering a stack of plates piled with pancakes and sausage. Elsa and Anna loved the hot chocolate they served here and Kristoff was mad for a strange, bubbly drink they called ‘coke’. Granny seemed to think it didn’t pair well with pancakes, but served it to him anyway.

“Give a holler if you need me,” she said, then went back behind the counter.

Elsa picked up her fork, fully intending to let Anna dominate the conversation as she usually did. But, apparently, Anna had other plans. “So I had this idea,” she said, looking at Elsa expectantly.

Elsa blinked. “Yes?”

“I think you should ask Belle if she needs help with the shop. Get used to magic again; I think that might help with your… problem.”

Elsa frowned. Her ‘problem’ - the feeling of foreboding she now felt about her powers - only got worse around other kinds of magic, especially dark magic. Elsa had been avoiding Regina for as long as they’d been here, and Rumplestiltskin’s shop made her nervous.

“What brought this on?” Kristoff asked. “I thought you were still worried about Rumplestiltskin being evil.” It certainly didn’t appear to be an unpopular opinion around town.

“Belle’s not evil,” Anna said, “And Mr. Dove’s not evil. And Baelfire’s not evil. They say he’s changed and I believe them. Plus Belle needs help. I went in there; there’s so much stuff!”

“Evil stuff?” Kristoff asked teasingly, slathering his pancakes in butter.

“No! I mean, some of it is. That Pandora’s Box thing sounds really scary, but there’s all kinds of other magic too! Fairy wands, and books, and things. I think if you got used to it, you wouldn’t be so nervous all the time,” she told Elsa. 

“I don’t think Rumplestiltskin would want me touching his things,” Elsa said. That was something everyone (even Belle and Mr. Dove) agreed on; Rumplestiltskin did not tolerate others interfering with his property.

“He won’t mind of you’re helping Belle rescue him.”

“Are were sure he needs rescuing?” Kristoff asked.

Anna gave him a dirty look. “Belle and Mr. Dove are; that’s good enough for me.” Anna was very fond of Mr. Dove. He would smile at her and just let her talk, never getting impatient with her questions. Apparently, Rumplestiltskin had saved his life at some point, back when he was the Dark One. Elsa supposed that he couldn’t be all bad if he’d been doing that kind of thing even when he was ‘evil’.

But Elsa didn’t want to do this. There was something terrible and familiar about Rumplestiltskin’s shop, like a nightmare she’d forgotten after waking. She didn’t even think it was about the man himself. It was about her own powers, somehow. She knew it. “Anna, I don’t… it feels wrong.”

“But _why_ does it feel wrong?”

“I don’t know!” Elsa snapped, and temperature in the diner dropped suddenly. Granny looked up and Elsa ducked her head. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to do that.” She concentrated, forcing her powers to retreat back into her body. They writhed around in there, trying to get back out.

“What you need,” Kristoff said, “Is a teacher. Like Grand Pabbie.”

They’d already been down this road. Nova had tried, but she didn’t understand Elsa’s powers at all. Tinker Bell had understood a little more, but not enough; and she was impatient. Regina was out of the question. “There isn’t one,” Elsa said, “Not here.”

“Your powers aren’t the problem,” Anna said, “Your fear is. If you could just see that there’s nothing to be afraid of-”

“Do you know that there’s not? What if something happened during the time we can’t remember? What if I hurt somebody?”

“You didn’t!”

“How can you know that?”

“I just do!”

“And _I_ know that there’s something wrong. Rumplestiltskin’s shop is the last place I should be.”

“You do need to do something,” Kristoff said. “You said it’s not getting better, and we could be stuck in Storybrooke for a while.”

“That’s right!” Anna agreed.

Elsa pinched her nose and sighed. “I know, but Rumplestiltskin’s shop is not the answer. Archie explained his profession to us in class, remember? Maybe he’s the one I need to talk to.”

Anna blinked. “Oh. That’s an idea. You should try that!”

“I will,” Elsa said, taking up her fork again.

“And I’ll help Belle!”

Elsa and Kristoff looked at her. “You?” Kristoff asked.

“Well, someone has to. Snow said it’s time for us to starting thinking about finding jobs. And you should see that place; it’s so cluttered and dark!”

Elsa and Kristoff exchanged glances. Anna wasn’t wrong about the jobs, but she wasn’t exactly known for her organizational skills either. And Elsa expected that Rumplestiltskin would not appreciate returning to find his shop had been ‘brightened up’ by her. Hopefully, Belle wouldn’t let it get out of hand.

XxXxXxX

Zelena was bored. She’d just finished her coffee with Snow, but didn’t know if she wanted to return to the house just yet. Rumple was becoming tedious. Oh, he’d finally started fighting back a bit, but she wanted more than verbal jabs; she wanted the ruthless and cunning master she remembered. Watching him crumbling under her attentions brought a certain satisfaction, but it just wasn’t very _fun._ She wondered if finding his son and the little librarian had gelded him somehow, or if her own memories had been corrupted by time.

As she glanced down Main Street, Zelena saw Regina with the thief. He and his men had apparently retreated to the familiarity of the woods, and Regina had been working with them to try to find Ingrid. Zelena grinned to herself, knowing that their efforts would be fruitless.

Annoyingly, the thief seemed just as taken with Regina here as he had been in the Enchanted Forest. _Why does she always get everything? It’s not fair!_ He was even handsome, and came with a little boy that Regina adored because she couldn’t have any of her own.

_She couldn’t even be grateful for Mother’s interest! She was just trying to find her a man, and Regina made herself barren just to spite her! I would never have been that ungrateful!_

Zelena suddenly smiled to herself. Well, she _had_ been bored.

XxXxXxX

“And just what do you think that we will find that the least twelve sweeps of the woods haven’t found?” Regina snapped at Robin Hood. Honestly, the man was the most annoying person she’d ever tried to work with; she didn’t know why she’d agreed to it in the first place.

So what if he and his little boy were two of the only people in town that didn’t hate or fear her? He was still a pain in her ass. Case in point: “I don’t recall you offering any original ideas, your Highness!”

Regina’s head snapped around when someone chortled. It was Snow’s little nurse, the one who had raised her and was now overjoyed by the idea of another little Charming running around. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s rude to eavesdrop?” Regina snapped. From what she remembered of this woman, that should be more than enough to chase her off.

Apparently not. “Didn’t anyone tell you not to make a spectacle of yourself on a public street?” the maid replied in a too-sweet tone.

Regina was taken aback, and even Robin raised his eyebrows in surprise. “I’d hardly call it a ‘spectacle’,” he said before she could think of a retort.

“Well, apparently you don’t think much of flirting with the woman who killed your wife, so I’m not sure I’ll take your word on that,” she said, still in that sickly-sweet tone.

_What the hell?_ “Listen, you-” 

“I don’t believe that that’s any of your business, Madam,” Robin replied sharply, interrupting Regina’s rant. 

She stared at him, startled. Why wasn’t he disgusted by her? He should be, but he wasn’t, somehow. But the maid just tutted him. “You’re new to Storybrooke, so I just wanted to make sure you knew; you don’t have to take her orders here. She’s not the Que- Mayor anymore.”

“Maybe not the mayor, but she is our first line of defense against whoever cast this new curse,” he said. “And I’ll thank you to leave us to our discussion.”

“Just remember, stepmothers aren’t always known for being kind,” she told Robin.

“That’s it!” Regina barked. “Get lost before I show you why I’m still the magical power in this town!”

The maid looked her up and down. “So much for the straight and narrow,” she said, turning around and walking away. Regina’s chest was heaving. _How dare she?_ Butting into things that weren’t her business was bad enough, but how dare she imply that Regina would hurt Roland?

“Well,” Robin said. “That was unpleasant.”

“That little toad! What made her think she could speak to us like that?!” 

“Indeed. Hardly fair to talk about stepmothers when you haven’t even agreed to have a meal with me.”

“That’s not the point! And I did eat with you and your little band of robbers last week.” A horde of poorly groomed men eating primitive food in the woods - Regina still didn’t know why she’d agreed to join them, even at Roland’s request. 

“My point exactly. It’s hardly a date if the Merry Men are there.”

“What?”

“That’s the word in this new land, isn’t it? Date?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I thought it was obvious. I’d like to go on a date with you.”

Regina boggled. “Why?”

“Because you’re a beautiful woman and I enjoy your company. And whatever that clucking hen says, you’re good with Roland.” Regina glanced back at the maid, but she’d disappeared around the corner. She looked back at Robin, who was waiting expectantly.

She would later blame it on missing Henry, but she agreed. “All right.”

XxXxXxX

Regina and Robin where now apparently dating. Anna, having unsuccessfully offered to help Belle catalog the shop, had instead been allowed to take over some of her responsibilities at the library. And Bae was getting too used to reality that his father was missing. Between them, Belle and Mary Margaret had confirmed that his homeschooling portfolio for tenth grade (which he could not recall completing) had been accepted, and now he had to decide whether he would continue the program for eleventh grade or attend the public high school.

Without Papa. “Can’t I wait to decide?”

“The school year starts in a week,” Belle said. “You have to decide by then. You know your education is very important to your father.”

“I know!” He knew what Papa would have wanted; he would want to teach him himself. All summer, Bae had been assuming that he would be found before the new school year started. But it had been nearly two months. It could be two more before they found him. Or six. Or never.

Belle took his hand in both of hers. “You know I miss him too. Every day. I know it’s hard, but we have to keep moving forward. You told me that.”

“It’s not fair,” Bae said.

She put an arm around him “No, it’s not. None of this is. But I know he’s alive, Bae. I feel it in my heart. We will find him, not matter how long it takes.” Bae had agreed with her at first. Surely his father was still alive; the worlds would feel it if the great Rumplestiltskin had been killed. Regina also seemed to think that the still intact blood wards on their house and the shop meant that he must be alive; but it had been so long. Where was he? Bae couldn’t help thinking about how Papa had become more human in this world. How he’d promised to surrender his power if that was what Bae wanted. Had he? Had he died for it? Had Bae condemned his father to death because he could not accept his magic?

Bae said nothing. He was grateful for Belle, truly, but his hope was dying. 

XxXxXxX

It had taken three days before Zelena had revealed to Rumplestiltskin what she was doing during her visits to town. At the time, he’d been immeasurably relieved that her interest was focused on Mary Margaret rather than Bae or Belle, but it was also just another step closer to her time spell being completed.

For a time, he’d been able to cling to the hope that Mary Margaret (or someone else) might realize that there was something off about Johanna, but weeks passed, and nothing changed. He’d begun to curse these heroes for their idiocy as he walked the tightrope between losing Zelena’s attention and provoking her enough to lash out at his family. He was forgetting what it felt like to be safe, to be loved. He lost track of time. One day, he noticed that the leaves on the trees outside the farmhouse had turned and were beginning to fall.

_How much time do we have left?_

XxXxXxX

October had begun before the Apprentice got the call. It was time. Thanks to his interventions, Zelena had managed to remain undiscovered, and his master was convinced that the timeline could be salvaged. At his instruction, the Apprentice had already gathered every magic bean in town to prevent anyone from leaving before it was time (including the one the giant had managed to grow, and even as it twinged his conscience to do it). Now it was time to put one to use.

It seemed odd to him that the Savior’s destined True Love was a pirate who remained unrepentant for his crimes, but the Apprentice had seen odder things. If his Master said that Killian Jones had to perform this task, then he would play his part, and hope that there was enough goodness in the man to see it done.

XxXxXxX

“Ahoy!”

Killian looked down from his place at the wheel. He’d been leaning against it, waiting for sunset so he could begin his nightly visit to the Rabbit Hole (he’d not quite reached the level of malaise where he was willing to spend his daylight was well as his nighttime hours at the bottom of a tankard). 

It was the old man. The one who had given him the gauntlet. Instead of nervous and cowed, as he had been before, he was standing tall, utterly unconcerned with the fact that he was bothering a notorious pirate. Hook frowned. “Ahoy,” he shouted back. “State your business.”

“May I board?”

Killian considered denying him. But among other things, he was painfully bored. If nothing else, the old man might prove to be some kind of diversion to break up the numbing monotony of this new curse. He jerked his head towards the gangplank, and the old man nodded, boarding without hesitation or hurry.

Hook studied him as he boarded, maintaining his place at the wheel. He was Captain of this ship; anyone seeking to do business was going to come to him. The old man did, joining him on the quarterdeck with an affable smile. Something was wrong; the man he had met before was nothing like this. _Perhaps he’s given the crocodile up for dead?_ Hook was not the only person in town who had considered that the crocodile might actually be deceased. The heroes that ran this town seemed convinced that he was not, but they hadn’t been able to find a trace of him.

“Hello, Killian,” the man said as if they had been friends for years.

“I don’t recall giving you permission to call me that, mate,” Hook said. He generally reserved that honor for lovely, young ladies, and this man was none of those things.

The old man ignored the reprimand. “I have a message from my master,” he said.

“Your master?” Hook turned and placed his hand on his sword. If this man was enchanted, that would explain his odd behavior; perhaps the crocodile was alive after all.

“The Sorcerer,” he said. “You may know me as the Apprentice. Fate has a plan for you, and it’s time for you to act on it.”

“ _You’re_ the Apprentice?” Hook knew from Cora that Snow and her allies had been looking for this man since Regina’s curse had been broken. Rumor was that the large, unclaimed mansion might belong to his master. Hook hadn’t really been paying much attention, having heard from Cora and Regina that the Sorcerer and Apprentice could only be found by those they wished to find them. It seemed that they had been correct.

“Yes,” the man said with a depreciating smile. 

“Is that why you traded me the gauntlet? Fate had a plan for me?”

He nodded. “Exactly. You took the first step that day, by choosing to stop Owen instead of killing Rumplestiltskin. It’s time for the next one.” He held out his hand, opening it to reveal a magic bean. “Use this to reach Emma. Tell her was has happened here; it’s time for the Savior to return.”

“Why me?” Hook asked suspiciously. “Why not her mother or father?”

“Because they are being watched by the person who cast this new curse.”

“And who might that be?”

The Apprentice smiled enigmatically. “I cannot say. Emma’s journey requires that she discover that on her own. You are a very important part of that journey, Killian.”

“Aye?” He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her. Killian was not a man prone to dwelling on his regrets, but he did regret that he’d led the strangers to the dagger. If he’d been cannier, Emma would not have been driven out of Storybrooke.

The Apprentice nodded. “Yes. Her love for you will shape the worlds.”

Now that was too grand a promise to trust. If life had taught Killian anything, it was that anything that sounded that good couldn’t possibly be real. He placed his hand on the wheel and gave the Apprentice an appraising look. “I’ve heard many rumors about you, mate. People have been looking for you and your Master, wondering if you had a hand in this new curse. And the first one, for that matter.”

Strangely enough, the man looked sad. “That’s a more complicated question than you know. Regina’s curse was her own, as this new curse likewise belongs to its caster. Events have been set in motion that will affect all the worlds. My Master has tasked me with ensuring that they work out as they were meant to.”

“And they include Emma falling for me.”

The Apprentice nodded. “Yes.”

“How?”

He smiled. “That’s up to you both. But destiny aside, I know you want to help her. Right now, she is lost. She has forgotten this place and everyone here who loves her. You are the only one who can help her remember.” A small vial suddenly appeared in his hand along with the bean. “You must get her to drink this, willingly. Her happiness, and the lives of everyone in Storybrooke, depend on it.”

Killian nodded thoughtfully. “You’ve told me a pretty tale, but how do I know it’s true? That vial could contain a poison for all I know. Perhaps this is your curse, and you’re trying to eliminate the one person who can break it.”

“Surely you know that my Master and I could have killed Emma long ago if that was our intention.”

“Assuming you are indeed the Apprentice.”

“Even if I were not, what is stopping me from using this bean myself and harming Miss Swan?”

“Point.” 

He smiled again. “Your hearts draws you to Emma, doesn’t it? Listen to it now.”

Killian laughed. It had been quite some time since someone had tried to appeal to his better nature. Most days, he wouldn’t even admit to having one. But this was not most days. Emma aside, he could not endure another day of this cursed purgatory. He held out his hand. “All right, mate, you’ve got a deal.”

The old man pulled back his hand slightly, drawing the bean and potion away. “One more thing. As you know, all magic comes with a price.”

“Aye,” Killian said, his tone measured.

“The price of this magic is your silence. Emma cannot know that my master and I have become involved; it would disrupt the flow of events. If anyone asks, you will tell them that you traded for this bean and potion, determined to bring Emma back to Storybrooke.”

Well that was certainly suspicious, but Killian was never one to change his mind once it was made up. “Agreed,” he said his hand still outstretched. The Apprentice handed him his prize.

“Fair winds, Captain,” he said.

“And to you,” Killian replied, grinning.

XxXxXxX

“ _WHAT!?_ ” Zelena screeched. The sound reverberated through Rumplestiltskin’s skull like a gunshot. Another one of the fragile threads holding his psyche together snapped, and he scrambled to retie it.

“Problem, dearie?” he asked from his spot on the floor. Zelena had given up all pretense that her ‘punishments’ had to do with anything other than her own amusement. One moment, she would demand that he dine with her, selecting his clothing with great care and grooming him like a pet (she took particular delight in shaving him with the dagger, taunting him with the possibility that this might be the time she decides to slit his throat), and the next moment she would latch onto some imagined slight as an excuse to force him into the cage in the cellar or to his knees on the floor. He didn’t think that she even knew what she wanted from him anymore.

She glared at him, and he let his curse feed him images of her violent death just to keep himself from cowering. As thin and dangerous a prop as the Dark One’s rage was, it was all he had left now to keep his fear under control. “That pirate has decided to interfere. I really wish you’d killed him when you had the chance, Rumple dear.”

_Jones?_ Rumplestiltskin hadn’t thought of Jones in months. After Regina’s curse was reversed, they’d heard nothing about the man. He hadn’t even known if he’d been taken by Snow’s curse. “How so?” he asked, trying to keep his tone casual.

“He found a way to leave! He found the Savior in New York and is bringing her back here! She killed Walsh!”

_Don’t react._ Jones. Rumplestiltskin would never have thought that there could ever be a circumstance where he would be grateful for Killian Jones, but the pirate had somehow managed it. Emma was the key, the only one whose powers met Glinda’s conditions. If Jones could get her here, they had a chance, however slim. “No matter,” Zelena said, with a dismissiveness that both Cora and Regina carried of with more regality, “What can the Savior do? She doesn’t know any more than the rest of them do; she’ll be chasing Ingrid just like they are.”

_Overconfidence._ He hoped it was. He wasn’t sure anymore. His curse was convinced that Zelena was nothing special, merely another enemy to be destroyed. Rumplestiltskin himself had spent so long in her ‘care’ that he struggled not to think of her as ever-present and invincible. It was a psychological artifact, a human response to months of captivity and abuse. At least he told himself that.

_She is the Savior._ He’d hung all his hopes on Miss Swan before, and she had delivered in spectacular fashion. He tried to dredge up enough courage to do the same now. 

XxXxXxX

Emma still thought she should have called Mary Margaret. Hook was insistent that whoever cast this new curse was watching ‘the heroes’ as he called them, and her superpower said that, at the very least, he believed it. But he was still hiding something. He’d been evasive about where he’d gotten the potion and the bean, even as he seemed utterly sincere about everything else. Something larger was at play, and it wasn’t as if he or anyone else from the Enchanted Forest should even be here.

And then there were the Darlings. John and Michael had apparently been watching her in New York for months, only to team up with Hook when he arrived in the city. According to them, they’d been Pan’s contact on Earth for the past century or so while their sister was held hostage in Neverland. Obviously, they’d lost contact after the Shadow was destroyed, and they had then tracked her and Henry to New York. Without news of their sister, they’d been unable to do anything but watch them, but when Hook had arrived he’d been able to confirm that Wendy was living with Belle and Baelfire (who had apparently been adopted by the Darlings at one point). The three of them had then teamed up to expose Walsh, convinced Emma to drink that freaking memory potion, and practically kidnapped her back to Storybrooke. The brothers had tailgated the bug nearly the entire way from New York, and she’d begun to wish she were Sherriff again just so she could write them a ticket.

As they crossed into Storybrooke, Emma mourned her simple life in New York. She was grateful that it was late and Henry was asleep in the back seat; it gave her time to find her parents before introducing Henry to them. _What the hell am I going to tell him?_ She didn’t know if she was angry or relived that Hook had only had enough memory potion for one. Henry not remembering was going to make this whole thing a lot harder, but if he did remember, that would be the death knell of their life in New York. He’d want to stay here, with all its magic and monsters… and Regina.

For lack of a better place, Emma pulled up in front of the Sherriff’s Station. John and Michael blew past her on their way to Gold’s. Other than them, the street was deserted. She’d found the utter emptiness of Storybrooke at night a shock when she’d first come here; it was just as unsettling now. Her parents might even be in bed. She got out of the car, needing a minute to think. And, of course, Hook put the kibosh on that plan by joining her. “So it’s really back,” she said to him. 

“I thought you knew when I was telling the truth,” he replied flippantly.

“I know when you believe what you’re saying; doesn’t mean you couldn’t have been wrong.”

“Did you want me to be? I thought you were upset about having to leave? Was Regina’s false life that nice?”

He’d meant it as a dig, but the truth was, “Yeah. Yeah, it was, OK? We were happy. We were normal.”

“Until the flying beastie showed up,” he said. “Which really wasn’t all that long, was it?”

“No.” _Goddammit._ He didn’t deserve to be right, not after everything he’d pulled. She looked at Henry, still asleep. She couldn’t leave him alone, not in a cursed town, and she sure as hell couldn’t leave him alone with Hook. She stepped away from the car and pulled out her phone to call August; at the very least, she knew he’d be awake. She just hoped he’d answer an unknown number.

He did. “Hello?” She heard explosions in the background; he must be watching TV.

“Hi, August,” she said. “It’s Emma.”

“Emma? That’s… Oh, my God, where are you? How did you…?”

“Look it’s a long story. I’m parked in front of the Sherriff’s Station. I need you to look after Henry while I go talk to my parents OK?”

“You’re _here_?”

“Yeah.”

“We need… we need to call everyone! Emma’s we’ve been trying to contact you for months!”

She sighed. “That’s what Hook said.”

“Hook?”

“Yeah. Which is why I need you here; I’m not leaving Henry alone with him.”

“No, no of course not. I’ll be there in five. Emma… this is amazing.”

He sounded so damn _grateful._ “Yeah,” she said. “Just hold off on calling the cavalry, OK? I want to talk to David and Mary Margaret first.”

“OK. Um… I have a friend with me; is it OK if she comes along? She has magic.”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “A ‘friend’? Can she be trusted?”

“Yeah, she can. It’s Tinker Bell. Bae told us about her, remember?”

“Yeah.” It seemed like a dream, all those months they spent preparing for Pan. And thinking of Bae, of course, led back to the Nate and whatever asshole god had created him and conspired to get her pregnant with Henry. _Is this it? Did I just bring him back to be used in some god’s insane plan?_

She didn’t know. But she did know this place was cursed, just like Hook had said. She could feel the difference now; apparently, a year without magic hadn’t degraded her skills. “Yeah, that’s a good idea, August. See you in a few.”

“OK. I’m glad you’re back, Emma.”

“Me too.” It was a good thing he wasn’t the one with the lie detection.

XxXxXxX

Hook watched Emma pace while they waited for the puppet. He kept waiting for her to tell him to leave, but she never did. “Relax,” he said, “You’re getting all tied up in knots, love.”

“Relax? Relax after finding out that my fiancé was a flying monkey, and that everything Henry and I shared for the past twelve years was a lie? And I’m not your ‘love’; knock it off.” _We’ll see about that._ The Apprentice’s promise may have been too good for Hook to take it as given, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t do everything in his power to make it come true.

He shrugged. “You seemed on good enough terms before; is it so terrible to remember how it actually happened?”

“When it means we’re in constant danger, yes!”

“You were anyway; all that’s changed is now you know. You can fight it. Ignorance is no haven, believe me.” Ignorance and blind faith had killed Liam; Killian much preferred to see the world as it was, to see the danger coming.

“Maybe I’m tired of fighting.” Well, that didn’t sound like his Emma at all. Perhaps this past year had not been good for her; it was a cruel trick, to promise someone a normal life and then tear it away. If he hadn’t already killed him, Hook would have had some words for Owen for doing this to her.

They both looked over when the puppet’s motorcycle rumbled onto Main Street. Tinker Bell was seated behind him. She’d been taking up with the heroes since they’d been back, and had cut Killian out completely when she heard Baelfire’s tale about the dagger. Hook didn’t begrudge her for finding allies where she could. They’d all been doing what they needed to to survive under this new curse.

Grinning like a fool, the puppet tore his helmet off and rushed Emma, embracing her tightly and lifting her briefly off her feet. “Emma! Oh, my god! How did you get here?”

Tinker Bell smirked at them, following more sedately. Emma smiled ruefully, but only said, “Personal space, August.”

He let her go, still grinning. “Sorry! I just can’t believe it! You’re here!”

Emma cocked an eyebrow at him. “Can’t believe it? You? I thought that was my line.”

He laughed. “Emma, you have no idea. So much has happened. And that’s just the stuff we remember! I’m so glad you’re back!”

“I had a feeling. This is Tinker Bell?”

“Yes! Yeah, Tink, this is Emma. Emma, Tink.”

“So you’re the Savior,” Tink said. Both women sized the other up and seemed to like what they saw. When Emma extended her hand, Tink took it. “It’s good to meet you.”

“Likewise. Are you guys good to hang out here while I track down my parents?”

The puppet nodded. “Sure, Emma.” He peered into the car at Henry and was about to knock on the window when Emma stopped him.

“Don’t! You’ll wake him up.”

He blinked at her. “That’s bad?”

“He… he doesn’t remember, August. Hook only had enough memory potion for me.”

The puppet withdrew his hand. “Oh. That’s… what do you want me to say if he wakes up? He could think we’re carjackers or something.”

Emma sighed. She looked at Hook. “Stay here. Vouch for them if Henry wakes up.”

Tink and the puppet exchanged a look. “Hook can vouch for us with Henry? Emma, what happened with you two?”

“I told you it’s a long story. Henry thinks he recruited me for a job; he knows him, at least. He won’t remember you.”

“OK,” the puppet said carefully. “You will explain, right?” Hook knew he still made the puppet nervous. He grinned at him, and the puppet glared back.

“Yeah, August, I’ll explain everything. I just need to talk to David and Mary Margaret first, OK? I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“OK. Take your time.”

Frankly, Hook didn’t know why she didn’t just wake the lad up and introduce them, but then, he didn’t understand Emma’s attachment to her false life either. Or maybe he did; he just didn’t agree with it. She was buying time, he realized. Well, he’d indulge her if that was what she wanted. He leaned against the car, clearly intending to stay. “Go on, then,” he told Emma, “I’ll stay here with the lad. And Henry.”

Tink and Emma rolled their eyes while the puppet huffed. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Emma repeated, glancing at Hook. “Can you handle him?” she asked the puppet. It was a fair question; their last altercation had not gone any better for him than it had for Hook, and that was with the Dark One’s intervention.

“I can,” Tink said. “I have a wand.”

“Good.” She looked at Killian again. “If you try anything…”

He raised his hands in surrender and smiled at her. “Of course… Sherriff.” She glared, then headed down the street. 

Tink turned to Killian. “So how did you get out of Storybrooke?” she asked.

“A magic bean.”

“You found a magic bean and didn’t tell us?” the puppet objected, even as he still took care to stand with Tink between them. “No, of course you didn’t. Please tell me you didn’t try to bang Emma before she remembered who you were.”

“Don’t be crude!” Killian snapped.

The puppet laughed. “Really? You’re lecturing me? Like you’re not at the Rabbit Hole every night-”

“Enough!” Killian brandished his hook at the puppet, who scrambled back, his eyes wide. Tinker Bell immediately stepped towards Hook, her new wand in her hand. 

“Back off, Killian,” she warned. The puppet said nothing, his eyes still on the hook.

“Still a coward, eh, lad?” Killian mocked.

“There are worse things than cowardice,” he said. “Murder, for example. Kidnapping, torture…”

“And I’m sure you’ve told the crocodile that, whenever you allied with him,” Killian said. “But then, he’s a coward too, isn’t he?”

The puppet tossed up his hands. “Do you even hear yourself? Nothing’s your fault, is it? There’s always someone worse than you, even when they’re actually helping us. And you think you have a shot with Emma? Really?”

Hook sneered, “So you’re the better man, are you? You’ve had more time with her than I; clearly she doesn’t want you, or she’d had reciprocated. You already have a lady, mate; it’s time to move on.” Everyone knew that the puppet was available to any woman (or man) who would have him, but Tink was apparently his favorite. There was a reason he had been in her company tonight, after all.

“Oh, for God’s sake,” the puppet said, rolling his eyes, “First of all, Tink is not ‘my lady’. I know friends with benefits isn’t really a concept in the Enchanted Forest, but it is here. Also, you don’t own women, asshole. And just because I care about Emma, doesn’t mean I want to bang her. We’re _friends_.”

Hook opened his moth to retort, but Tink intervened, “Stop it, both of you,” she said. “It’s too bloody late to listen to this. And you could wake Henry.”

The puppet looked at her, still tense, but nodded. “Right.”

Hook grit his teeth. The puppet had insulted him; that demanded satisfaction. “I may be a pirate, but I have a code-” 

Lightning quick, Tink whipped her wand up and shoved it under his chin. “Shut it, Killian. That’s not the way things are done here. Let. It. Go.”

Tink with a knife was dangerous. Tink with a wand outmatched him, and Hook was practical enough to admit that. He took a step back. “This isn’t over, mate,” he said.

“Was that a threat? Maybe I should report you to the Sherriff,” the puppet goaded.

“Coward!”

“Sure am. Threatening people’s still a crime, though,” the puppet said with false nonchalance. He was clearly still angry (and scared), but he was also a man of this world. Killian wasn’t. In the Enchanted Forest, an accusation of cowardice was settled with fists or blades, and not even the lowest of the low would brag about hiding behind the Sherriff. But here? Men didn’t act like men. Killian didn’t like it. 

And apparently, they could see it on his face. “This is Emma’s world, Killian,” Tink said. “If you actually want to impress her, you can’t act like we’re still in the Enchanted Forest. Consider that free advice.” 

“Back in the fairy godmother business, then, eh, Tink?”

“I dabble. I’m sick of seeing people hurt, Killian. I’ll bet Emma is too.”

“Oh, yeah,” the puppet said, and Killian knew he wasn’t wrong.

It all came down to priorities, didn’t it? The puppet was a coward; what did Killian care what a coward had to say? He shrugged. “A truce, then. I want this curse broken, same as you. I brought the Savior; I think that merits some appreciation.”

The puppet looked like he wanted to say something to that, but bit it down. Tink responded, “That’s not up to us; it’s up to the David and Mary Margaret. So I’d play nice if I were you.”

He grinned at her and shrugged. “Always, love.”

The puppet snorted and Tink rolled her eyes. Killian paid it no mind. He’d negotiated with Poseidon and Peter Pan; he could surely win over Emma’s parents.


	21. Witch Hunt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: psychological manipulation/torture

“Give me the short version,” Emma told her parents after a brief reunion, “I left Henry in the car.” Mary Margaret was getting settled on the couch (and wasn’t it just like Hook not to mention that Emma would be getting a new sibling in less than a month). 

“Why?” Mary Margaret asked.

“Because he doesn’t remember. Hook only had enough memory potion for one.”

Emma’s parents looked at each other. “How did Hook find you?” David asked. “We’ve been trying to contact you since June; whoever cast this curse has been blocking us.”

“He said he traded for a magic bean and the memory potion. Said he thought he’d be the best person to do it because he wasn’t being watched. He believed it, too, but I think there’s more it.”

Mary Margret rubbed her belly. “He may be right. But who did he trade with? We thought we’d spoken to everyone.”

“He wouldn’t tell me; he said it was part of the deal he made. That part was true, too.”

“Could this be a trap?” David asked. “What if the person he traded with is the person who cast the curse? Remember when we first came back,” he asked Mary Margaret, “And Bae thought it might be Pan? He was concerned that he might still want Henry.”

Emma tensed. “Do you think so? Should I get Henry out of town?”

“Most of the evidence points to Ingrid,” Mary Margaret said. “Her nieces are here now, and she vanished the day we got back. And we found a picture if you in her house, from when you were a teenager.”

“That’s… really creepy.” And somehow made a certain kind of sense. “Have you guys seen any flying monkeys around?”

“Flying monkeys?” Mary Margaret asked, “No. Why?”

“Right after we got to New York, I met this guy. He… long story short, it turns out he was a flying monkey the whole time.” She sighed. “You know how Gold is a bunch of different characters? What if Ingrid is both the Snow Queen and the Wicked Witch of the West?”

David and Mary Margaret looked at each other again. “That makes sense,” David said. “We need to talk to Anna. Elsa doesn’t actually remember anything about Ingrid; she took her memories so she would forget meeting her.”

“A witch that takes memories? I think we have a top suspect,” Emma said. One that was more interested in her than Henry. Creepy as it was, it was better than Bae’s theory. “I need to get back. Give me a call when you get in contact with Anna; we’ll be at the inn.”

“Can’t you stay here?” Mary Margaret asked.

“There’s no way I could explain that to Henry. As far as he knows, I’m here for a job. And you wouldn’t be able to talk freely around him anyway.”

“All right,” Mary Margaret said reluctantly. 

“At least give us your new cell number,” David said.

“Yeah. Right, of course.” Emma wasn’t sure where her head was. It had been a long drive and a longer few days before that, but she had to get her head in the game if she wanted to get through this without Henry catching on.

She gave David her number, and Mary Margaret got up to give her a hug. “We’re so glad to have you back,” she said sincerely. Emma wished her own feelings were as simple.

“It’s good to see you guys again,” she said. That, at least, was true. 

XxXxXxX

Wendy hadn’t been able to believe it when Belle had come into her room and told her that her brothers had called and would be arriving any minute. She’d dressed anyway, not wanting to disappoint the woman who had so generously been taking care of her, but all her doubts disappeared when Belle opened the door and she saw them for the first time in a century.

“John! Michael!” 

“Wendy,” John said, and he didn’t have a chance to move before Wendy tackled him and Michael both.

It had to be a sign. Surely their troubles were nearly over.

XxXxXxX

By the next morning, everyone knew that Emma was back. On her way to speak to Anna and Elsa (and, apparently, the rest of the Council), she was stopped by half a dozen townsfolk wanting to know who cast this new curse and what Emma was going to do about it. She was as noncommittal as she could be while trying to remain reassuring. The whole thing was too familiar. There was no denying it now - she was back to being the Savior once again. 

“There you are,” Regina said snappishly when Emma walked in. Mary Margaret had told her to expect Regina to be there, but it was still jarring. “Where is Henry?”

“With August,” Emma replied. “He’s keeping him occupied.”

“Mary Margaret said he doesn’t remember us,” Regina said accusingly.

“It’s true. If you want to know why there was only enough memory potion for me, you’re going to have to ask Hook, because I don’t know.”

Regina sneered. “Believe me, I will.”

“Is everyone here?” Emma asked. She spotted a blonde and brunette sitting together. She assumed that they were Anna and Elsa, but she had no idea who the young man with them might be, or who the man standing next to Regina was. 

Gold was noticeably missing, just as Hook and August had said. August had also told her that Bae and Belle were having a hard time without him. He was right; Belle in particular had clearly been skipping out on sleep and probably food as well. They were both watching her with hopeful eyes. _Hell._

“Everyone who was available,” Archie answered tactfully. 

“Then tell me everything you’ve got,” Emma said, taking a seat.

“Not a whole hell of a lot,” Leroy said with his usual bluntness. “But you can work with that, right?”

“I’ve worked with less,” she said. The best way to get through this, she’d decided, was to do exactly what’s she told Henry she was doing. There were two people missing (actually more, according to Mary Margaret, but two tied directly to this new curse), and it was her job to find them. 

“You have?” The brunette girl asked. “Do you do this a lot? I guess you must, you’re the Savior after all. What exactly is involved in that, anyway? Is it a formal title? Who gave it to you? Oh! We haven’t introduced ourselves. I’m Anna, this is my sister, Elsa, and my fiancé, Kristoff. We’re from Arendale.”

“I’m Emma,” she said shortly, a bit overwhelmed by the chatter. “I’m the Savior because Gold used my parents’ True Love on Regina’s curse.” And yes, she was just a little bit bitter that she was back to saying things like that when three days ago, her biggest concerns were her relationship with Walsh and Henry’s grades.

“Well, that was nice of him!” _Not really._

Regina snorted and Bae gave Emma an awkward look. The man next to Regina took the opportunity to introduce myself. “And I am Robin of Loxley. It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady.”

Emma sighed. “No ‘my lady’ stuff, please. I got enough of that from Hook on the drive up here.” Eight hours in the bug with Hook’s incessant flirting and Henry’s probing questions had not improved her attitude towards this whole thing.

Her mention of Hook, of course, led to the obligate questions about him and how he’d found her after months of anyone being unable to reach her. Emma told them the same thing she’d told August and her parents. Regina, in particular was having trouble buying it, and Emma couldn’t blame her.

“You have no idea where he got the bean?” she asked accusingly.

“None,” Emma said. 

“Didn’t Hook say that Greg and Tamara took some before they burned the field?” Bae asked. “Maybe he found their stash.”

“That’s right,” Belle agreed, “He did.”

Emma didn’t think it was that simple, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it other than keep a close eye on Hook. Both Tink and August had already agreed to help with that, and she should probably pay a visit to Smee, too, and ask Bae and Belle to keep and eye on John and Michael. They had been more forthcoming that Hook, but she did not trust their history with Pan. “It’s a possibility,” she said. “So tell me about Ingrid,” she told Anna.

“She’s our aunt,” Anna replied. “But we didn’t know about her until Elsa accidentally let her out of this urn that traps people with magic. She has ice powers like Elsa does, but can do other things too.”

“Like block memories?”

“Yes! Elsa doesn’t remember anything about her, or anything at all after I left for Misthaven. But Kristoff and I both do. She has this spell, she called it the spell of Shattered Sight. She used it on me. It… it turned me against Elsa. I… trapped her in the urn, and then Ingrid froze us. The next thing we knew, all three of us were here, and no one remembered what had happened.”

Emma nodded. “Do either of you know anything about this spell?” Emma asked Belle and Regina.

“Yes,” Belle said. “Rumple’s books describe it in detail. It uses a magic mirror to turn people against their loved ones.”

“So, dark magic then.”

“Extremely,” Regina said. “If she were able to gather enough power, she could affect an entire kingdom. It’s been done before.”

“And how about Storybrooke?”

“Ingrid said that she’d need a lifetime to gather enough magic to affect a kingdom,” Anna said. “And she was cursed with the rest of you, so she hasn’t had the time.”

“Except that Storybrooke is just a small town,” Emma pointed out.

“By modern standards,” Regina said. “The population density of the Enchanted Forest is much less than you’re used to. Snow’s entire kingdom is here, and more.”

“Really?” Emma had always thought of Storybrooke as small, and after a year in New York, it seemed downright tiny. _How could an entire kingdom fit in a town that doesn’t even have a pizza place?_

“Yes. I don’t do things by half measures, Miss Swan.”

“OK. I guess that’s good news then. Exactly how long was it for you?” she asked Anna. “Hook said it was about ten months between the fight with Greg and you guys waking up here.”

“That’s right,” Mary Margaret said.

“It was about five years before Regina’s curse was cast,” Belle said, subdued. Anna gave her a sympathetic look, and Emma wondered what that was about.

“So Ingrid has had, at most, less than seven years total to work on her spell. Five years before the curse, and a year and half since it broke.”

“Sounds about right,” Kristoff said. “So, do you have any ideas? Because we’ve been looking for her for months and found nothing.”

“I might. There was a man in New York; someone sent him to keep an eye on me. Apparently, he was actually a flying monkey.”

Regina cocked an eyebrow, and Belle froze. “A flying monkey?” Ruby asked, “Like, ‘get her my pretties’?”

“Yeah. I was thinking that Ingrid might be both the Snow Queen and the Wicked Witch, like how Gold’s a bunch of different people,” Emma said.

“You could be right,” Belle said. “Flying monkeys are native to Oz. Only Oz.”

“I have been to Oz,” Robin Hook said suddenly. “I’ve encountered the Wicked Witch. She ruled Oz before Ingrid was released from the urn; I’m afraid that she and Ingrid cannot be the same person.”

Regina looked at him. “You never told me you’d been to Oz.”

“I was there less than a day,” he said. “The Dark One contracted me to steal a potion from the witch. She knew he’d sent me; I believe that they must have clashed before.”

Regina snorted. “Of course they did.”

Emma sat up straight. “You actually met her?”

“Aye. She would be hard to forget.”

“Have you seen her in town?”

“No. And, believe me, I would notice. Her complexion is… distinctive.”

“Let me guess: green?”

“Like an emerald.”

“That doesn’t mean that she would be the same here,” Belle said. “Rumple’s complexion is different there as well.”

“Right,” Emma said, “The scales.”

“Sparkly scales,” Anna said authoritatively.

“Sparkly?” Emma asked, incredulous.

“Yes,” Regina said impatiently. “But if we would get back to the issue at hand, it is possible that Ingrid and the Wicked Witch have teamed up. Sorcerers tend to be solitary, but witches are often drawn to other witches.”

“Yes,” Belle said, “I’ve read that.”

“So you bucked the trend?” Emma asked Regina. 

“Actually, no; you’re forgetting Maleficent. Who, incidentally, is also among the missing.”

“Could she be in on this too?”

“It’s possible. I very much doubt that she’s happy with me at the moment, and if the other two share a common enemy in Rumple, that certainly applies to Mal as well. And if we are being spied on… Mal’s good at that.”

“Great.”

“This is good,” Belle said. “We had no idea that the Wicked Witch was involved, or that she clashed with Rumple. I know Rumple referenced her in his notes, but I don’t remember exactly what he said. Something about silver slippers? He also alluded to… I think she may have been his student at one point. I skimmed that part; we were so focused on Ingrid and Pan.... I can go back in his notes and look.” There was a familiar, frantic edge to her voice. 

“That’s fine,” Emma assured her. “You’re right; we didn’t know to look for this. It’s a new lead; that’s good.” Emma had never been good at comforting the family members of missing people, but she’d dealt with enough of them to know that Belle needed assurances that she’d done everything she could. 

“So which Wicked Witch is this?” Leroy asked. “East or West?”

“Does it matter?” Regina asked impatiently.

“Well, yeah. One you throw a bucket of water at, and the other you drop a house on.” 

Regina just rolled her eyes. “It doesn’t work like that.”

“Could it be both?” Emma asked gravely. “If there are two of them, they also could have teamed up.”

“The Dark One referred to her in the singular,” Robin Hood offered, “He behaved as if there were only one.”

“There is,” Regina agreed, “At least if what I’ve heard about her is true”.

“Well, that’s something.”

“So what do the rest of us do while Belle does her research thing?” Leroy asked. “Lay some monkey traps?”

“I want to know anything else you might know about Ingrid, Maleficent, and the Wicked Witch. There might be something you’ve overlooked.”

Regina gestured to Anna. “You’re up, Pippi.” 

“I know you think you’re being insulting when you call me that,” Anna said, “But I read that book and it’s really good, so there.”

“Today, if you don’t mind,” Regina responded, rolling her hand impatiently.

“Regina,” Emma said, “Cool it.” Distracted witnesses were bad witnesses. Regina gestured in irritation but didn’t say anything more. Anna launched into a more detailed description of her aunt, aided on occasion by Kristoff, and Emma was thankful that she’d brought a notebook and pen. Emma had known some talkers in her time, but Anna was in a class of her own.

XxXxXxX

“So how do you know my mom?” Henry asked almost immediately. August had been hoping to distract him with the library, but apparently, no such luck.

“What makes you think we know each other?”

“She was happy to see you. She’s not unusually like that with guys in leather jackets. And she left me with you. She never leaves me with a babysitter anymore.”

“Maybe that’s because you’ve always got one glued to your hand,” August deflected. Apparently, Henry’s interest in video games had morphed into a full-on obsession in the year they’d been away. If he hadn’t actually seen Henry put the Gameboy down, August would have been concerned that it had attached itself to him, Borg style.

Henry cocked his head to the side. “Are you trying to distract me, or are you just one of those old people who complains about ‘kids these days’ and their video games?”

August frowned. He did not like this new Henry at all. Puberty was apparently hitting him with a vengeance. “I’m thirty-seven; that not’s old.”

Henry grinned. “So you are trying to distract me!”

August gaped. That… was actually totally in character for Henry. _I’m getting rusty._ “OK, fine,” August said, wishing he could get away with lying. But that was a no-go; even if Henry couldn’t see the wood, he would be sure to notice when August keeled over and started gasping in pain. “Your mom and I were in foster care together. Neither one of us likes to talk about it much.” 

“I… oh. Sorry.” 

August turned a chair around and sat in it, his arms folded across the back. “It’s all right. I’m sure this was a shock to you; I’m guessing Emma doesn’t pull you out of school every day.”

“No way; she’s never done this before, ever. She’d turn down a job in Queens if it meant me missing school. What’s going on?”

“We need her to find someone; no one is as good at finding people as Emma is.”

He ignored the flattery. “Who? It can’t just be a bail jumper.”

_Crap._ August should have asked in advance how much he was allowed to tell Henry. But then he supposed he couldn’t expect him to stay in town for any length of time without hearing the name ‘Gold’. He had to say something; he’d sort it out with Emma later. “It’s Mr. Gold. He owns the pawnshop. And half the town. He’s also my boss’ boyfriend.”

“And what’s so special about him?” _Oh, kid, if you only knew._

“We… actually think he might have been kidnapped.”

Henry narrowed his eyes. “And you called my mom instead of the FBI?”

“Does the FBI usually believe the families of people on bond if they say they think they’ve been kidnapped instead of just skipping town?”

“They blew them off?” 

_Shit - stop asking direct questions, please._ August shrugged. “They have limited resources.” 

“I see. Why do they think he’s been kidnapped?”

“Because he fought like hell to get back to his kid, and then he vanished without him. If he’d left voluntarily, he’d have taken Bae with him. And Belle.”

“Are you sure? A lot of Mom’s targets skip out on their families.”

August shook his head. “Not Gold. They got separated before, and Gold moved Heaven and Earth to get back to him. He’d have found a way to take Bae with him or died trying.”

“So what’s he on bail for? Something big?”

“Nice try, but he’d entitled to some privacy.”

Henry shrugged. “I had to give it a shot.”

“I know. Why don’t you tell me about New York? It’s been ages since I was there.”

“You’ve been to New York? How come I haven’t met you before, then, if you and Mom are friends?”

“This was long before you were born. I went a lot of places after that. South America, Asia for ten years, and then Storybrooke.”

“You spent ten years in Asia then came _here_? Why?”

“Hey, it’s not that bad, kid; small towns have their charm. And my father lives here; I wanted to be with him.”

“Father? You found your parents? Mom didn’t.”

_Yes, she did._ “No, I actually knew where he was. I have this… medical condition. My father was afraid that if I stayed with him, I’d die, so he sent me away. He was trying to save me. Turns out it wasn’t necessary, but that’s not his fault. He got some bad information from someone he trusted.”

“Oh. That sucks.”

“We’re together now; that’s what matters.” 

“Yeah. What about your Mom?”

“I don’t have a Mom; it’s just me and Papa. Oh, and the couple that lives in our house. They’re younger than me, but Donna insists I call her Nonna.”

Henry laughed. “Like a grandma?”

August nodded. “Mhm. It’s weird, but all right. They’re nice people.”

“That’s funny.”

“Yeah. So tell me about New York; have you been to the public library?”

“Yeah!” That, thankfully, seemed to be the magic question. August let Henry chatter on, glad that they were finally able to get off the subject of why Emma was here - at least for now. Things were off in Henry’s world, and the gods knew that Henry would never just let that go. 

XxXxXxX

The monkey had given her away. The voices of the Dark One cackled inside Rumplestiltskin’s head as he stood by Zelena’s viewing portal, watching Emma and her allies plot the witch’s destruction. _You will die, Zelena. The laws of magic will not be trifled with._

But Rumplestiltskin could not join their revelry. Belle was involved; she’d made herself Zelena’s next target. “What do your journals say about me?” Zelena asked darkly.

“That depends which ones made the journey with Snow White’s curse.”

“Do they explain Glinda’s little prophecy?”

“No.”

She waved a hand. “Then it doesn’t matter. They still don’t know where we are. And even if they did, I have the Dark One. Tell me, can the Savior match you?” she asked tauntingly. 

“No.” _But she can match you, dearie._ The voices laughed louder. 

“And now I can use my pets!” she said gleefully. “But I am curious what you wrote about me.” She caressed his face, trying to provoke a reaction. He kept perfectly still. “Was it flattering?”

“Some of it.” In fact, most of it was fairly gloating in nature. Having Cora’s firstborn seek him out had tickled his ego more than it ought to have. He’d cataloged her progress under him with glee, and had being rather fascinated by the fact that she’d begun to fall for him. After she’d left, of course, his only interest had been the magic she’d gathered in Oz, starting with the silver slippers.

“Really? I want to read it. Bring them to me.”

She was letting him leave? The voices cackled again, thrilled at the prospect of being let out to wreak havoc. Rumplestiltskin himself could only remember her standing order to kill Bae if he should see him again. She grinned at him, and he knew that she hadn’t forgotten about it either. “And remember, Rumple, dear: no witnesses.”

His body started to hum with the need to fulfill her command. “Understood,” he said. He vanished, appearing inside his own garage. He’d chosen this spot because neither Bae nor Belle could reasonably be expected to be here, but still his heart would not stop pounding until he saw that he was, indeed, alone. 

_She said no witnesses; she didn’t dictate how I had to ensure that,_ he reminded his curse. He reached out to the wards on the house. Thankfully, they told him that no one was home. He went to his study first, and found it both unrecognizable and entirely too familiar.

He’d always had a cluttered mind and had filled his living spaces to match. He was one of those people who always knew where to find something in a mess that would make anyone else throw up their hands in despair. 

Anyone but Belle, that is. Belle had an orderly mind. Books aside, the profession of librarian was perfect for her; she had the ability to take an endless mass of disjointed information and organize it into a coherent system that anyone could follow.

Apparently, in her months-long search through his books, she’d been forced to organize his collection. Other than the books currently on the desk (all marked with bookmarks, never dog-eared), every book in is his office had been organized on the shelves with the system Belle had developed for the off-world books in the library. His journals took up nearly four shelves, neatly arranged in chronological order. 

The collection was missing many volumes, of course, and Snow’s curse had apparently done to his books what it had done to the people. Some volumes that he knew should be here were missing, while others that had been left behind in the Dark Castle during the first curse were sitting contently on the shelves. But thanks to Belle’s organizing, he didn’t have to hunt through every volume to see what had made it over this time; he immediately found the time period corresponding to Zelena’s training and was able to quickly pull any relevant volume from that point on.

His basement workshop was next, and just as before, Belle had organized the books impeccably, while leaving the rest of his paraphernalia undisturbed. It occurred to him that he should find some way to leave Belle a note or clue, but he did not dare risk bringing Zelena’s wrath down on her. And the missing journals would themselves be a sign. They would know that Zelena had observed their meeting, and they would know that she possessed the dagger, as he was the only one would could have crossed the blood wards to retrieve the missing books. What Belle might do with that information filled him with dread. _Don’t come after me. Run. Stay away._

Once he’d gathered the relevant volumes for the workshop, he grabbed a crystal ball from the shelf and viewed the interior of the pawnshop. It, too, was empty. Just to be sure, he sought out Bae and Belle, finding them at the library, talking to Henry and the puppet, and accompanied by Wendy and the men who were supposedly her brothers.

He knew he didn’t have much time until Belle left for the pawnshop, but he stood frozen, gazing into the ball in his hand. Belle looked tired, even as she smiled at Henry and shook his hand. Bae waved at him, and the puppet said something that must have been funny, because they all laughed. The sudden pain in Rumplestiltskin’s heart was so intense that his didn’t even notice the building agony in his head until his entire being shook with the command of _OBEY._

Head ringing, he returned the crystal to its place on the shelf and transported to the shop, once again finding the books - and only the books - arranged in impeccable order. He took the pertinent volumes and returned to the farmhouse, the oppressive atmosphere of the place nearly knocking him off his feet. After so long, his little sojourn had almost been like tasting freedom. The voices in his head screamed for blood. In his mind, he joined them.

XxXxXxX

“You told him what?” Emma demanded.

“That we think Gold has been kidnapped,” August explained, “He thinks we hired you because the FBI wouldn’t start a kidnapping investigation for a bail jumper. I needed to tell him something; he knows this isn’t just another job.”

Emma gaped. “I… don’t know whether to hit you or thank you for coming up with a batter story than I could.”

He shrugged, smiling sheepishly. “Well, I know which option I’d vote for.”

She ran a hand through her hair. “Don’t push it. Couldn’t you at least ask me first? What if I’d told him something different?”

“He wouldn’t let it go. And I was hoping we could explain away any inconsistences as, I don’t know, privacy concerns or something. I pulled that one when he wanted to know what Gold was on bail for. He seemed to buy it.”

“Well, that’s something.”

“But seriously, he knows something is really wrong. At some point, the truth is going to have to come out.”

_Don’t tell me what has to happen._ “Is it? Can he even process this? He’s cursed; no one under the first curse could see past it. It was only you, me, and Henry, because we were never cursed in the first place. And Gold, because he had a loophole.”

“And Blue.”

“Because she’s the Blue Fairy; she set it up, just like Gold. Speaking of, has anyone talked to her? I wouldn’t put it past her to have Gold tied up in the basement.” That was an extremely dark joke, but also something Gold would say. The truth was she missed the old bastard. She hoped he wasn’t dead.

“Belle did; Blue denied everything.”

“There’s a surprise.”

August snorted. “It might be worth it to try your superpower on her. And now we know to ask about the Wicked Witch. I wouldn’t trust anything she has to say about Maleficent; I’m sure she’s convinced herself she was blameless in that too.”

“Are you volunteering to come with me?”

He sighed but said, “Sure. Taking Regina would probably not be a very good idea.”

Emma snorted, “True.” Emma didn’t know what to make of this new Regina. Apparently, she’d been walking the straight and narrow since this new curse, and Mary Margaret in particular seemed to trust her completely. Emma had missed out on all that, so, to her, Regina was just a few weeks removed from having helped Cora to try conquering the town. And yet when she asked about Henry, she seemed absolutely gutted. Emma might have felt bad for her if she hadn’t gleefully inflicted this very fate on pretty much everyone in Storybrooke. Emma wouldn’t call it just, but she wasn’t losing any sleep over it either. She had plenty of other things to loose sleep about.

“How about-” Emma’s phone rang. “Hold on.” August nodded patiently as she answered it. “Swan here.”

“Emma!” Belle said breathlessly, “He’s alive! Rumple is alive!”

“How do you know?” 

“His journals are gone; any of them that mentioned the Wicked Witch.”

“How do you know that was him?”

“Because they were behind blood wards; he’s the only one who could have crossed them!”

“All the journals are gone?” While she could understand why Belle was excited, that seemed like a major setback.

“It was very targeted. I know he only mentioned her in the more recent ones, leading up to the curse. Nothing from before he met Regina was taken. He knew exactly what I would be looking for and where to find it.”

“So they were spying on us. And they do have Gold.”

“That’s two things we didn’t know with certainty before,” Belle said. “And we know that there is something in those journals that the witches don’t want us to know.”

“Well, that’s something. Do you have any other sources on the witches? What about the library?”

“Other than the genealogy of the royalty of Arendale in the library, there’s nothing on Ingrid. I wasn’t looking for sources on Oz before; I’ll head over there now.”

“Good. August and I were going to pay Mother Superior a visit, see what she has to say.”

“Please do,” Belle said. “She said she knew nothing, but I don’t believe her.”

“Us either. Let me know what you find. I’ll let you know what I get out of her.” 

“I will, Emma. Thank you.” Worried family members. That part always sucked; it sucked worse now that they were her friends.

“Thanks, Belle.” She hung up. “You ready now?”

“Now?” August asked.

“Mary Margaret wants to take Henry for lunch; it’s as good a time as any.”

“OK, then.”

XxXxXxX

It wasn’t often that Reul Ghorm did not know what to do. The guidance from the Fates was clear, if one paid attention, but ever since Regina’s curse had brought Baelfire to this land, things had gone awry.

Reul Ghorm knew that she was not meant to be the one to lead the Savior to Zelena, but she also knew that the Fates’ original design had been abandoned long ago. Some parts were still the same (the pirate’s love for Emma, for instance, regardless of how distasteful Blue herself found the idea), but others were simply impossible now.

“You know something,” the Savior accused. She was powerful indeed if she could detect Reul Ghorm herself in a deception. She decided to take it as a sign.

“I do.”

“So you lied to Belle,” Pinocchio muttered. “Of course you did, why wouldn’t you?”

“It wasn’t time yet for her to know.”

The Savior laughed darkly. “You are so full of shit.” Reul Ghorm frowned. “Is it time now? I’m the Savior, is that it? It had to be me?”

“It had to be a wielder of the most powerful magic of all; the magic of True Love.”

“How is that not Belle when it comes to Gold?” Pinocchio asked. “Do you have any idea how worried she and Bae have been?”

“It is not the Dark One that must be defeated; it is the Wicked Witch.”

“What about Ingrid?” Princess Emma asked.

“Ingrid is also a threat, but this plan is Zelena’s alone.”

“Zelena, that’s her name?”

“Yes. She plans to break a law of magic.”

“Which one?”

“She plans to change time.”

“Why?”

“Her mother abandoned her as an infant; she hopes to intervene and change her own Fate.”

“That’s it? All of this because she wants to grow up with her mom?”

“That can be a very powerful desire. Surely you can understand that, both of you.”

“Uh, I turned that down, if you remember,” Pinocchio said. “Wait… could you do that? Could you turn her into a child, give her a second chance that way? Maybe she’ll leave us alone then.”

“My magic was never meant for those so dark. And regardless, her mother is dead.”

“Who was she?” Princess Emma asked.

This was the secret that Reul Ghorm did not know if she should share. It changed everything for two of Fate’s most influential players. If revealed at the wrong time, it could upend an already fragile series of events, but those events had already been upset in a number of ways. Would revealing it now lead back to the correct path?

Reul Ghorm made her decision. “I cannot tell you that at this time.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Certainly not.”

“Tell us! People are in danger here!”

“They would be in greater danger if I defied the path the Fates have laid out.”

“And what path is that?”

“You will know in time.”

“Oh, fuck you!”

Just like the last time Princess Emma had confronted her like this, Pinocchio interceded. “She’s not going to tell us-”

The Savior shook his arm off. “Not this time. You knew the curse was going to be reversed, didn’t you? You knew this was going to happen, and you know exactly who this Zelena person is and how to defeat her. You’re working for a god who sent a monster to impregnate me and manipulated me into giving up my child! You are the villain in this story, lady, and I’m the Savior. I. Defeat. Villains.”

Reul Ghorm started at her, drawing on the serenity of her position. “I am not a villain.”

“I know you believe that, but all the worst villains do. Make no mistake; whatever Zelena does next, it’s on you. Come on,” she told Pinocchio, and he glanced accusingly at Reul Ghorm before following her.

This wasn’t how the Savior’s path was meant to go.

Reul Ghorm retired to her rooms; it was time to pray.


	22. Discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: psychological manipulation/torture, rape

“She what?” Regina growled. “That blue insect! I’ll make her talk!”

“No you won’t,” the puppet sighed, rubbing his forehead. “As awesome as that would be to watch.”

“He’s right,” Emma said. “Even Gold couldn’t get through that barrier she put around the convent.”

“Then get her outside it. Burn it down if you have to!”

“No,” Elsa objected, “That can’t be right.”

“Look, blondie, you’re new here; you don’t know how the firefly operates-”

“Neither did you,” Baelfire said, “None of us did. Reul Ghorm is old and powerful. The Dark One couldn’t harm her; do you think you can?”

“And it’s unnecessary,” Belle said, “She already told us what we need to know.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The one thing she refused to share was the identity of Zelena’s mother; obviously, that is the key.”

“And she knows who it is!”

“And what do we know? We know she’s dead. We know she gave up a child. We know that her name is familiar enough to us that Reul Ghorm believes that it alone might upset the Fate’s path. We know that magic often runs in families, and we know that Rumple had no interaction with her before he met you, so she is probably around your age. How many witches do we know of who could have given up a child in that time period?”

“Maleficent,” Mary Margaret said quietly. 

“She’s not dead,” Regina objected.

“We don’t know that,” David said.

“Mal is hard to kill.”

“Papa could do it,” Baelfire pointed out.

“But Zelena has the dagger,” Belle countered. “Why would she kill her mother if she desires her love so badly?”

“Mal could have tried to stop her,” Regina said, “She and Rumple are old guard; they believe in the laws of magic. If she found out what this Zelena was doing, she’d try to stop it.”

“Where does Ingrid fit into this?” Swan asked thoughtfully.

“She doesn’t believe in the laws of magic,” Anna said, “She was trying to make Elsa love her; that’s against the laws of magic, isn’t it?”

Regina nodded. “Yes. It is.”

“This is a lot of speculation,” Swan said, “We need to find some way to verify these theories. And who else could be Zelena’s mom? I can think of at least one other name.” She looked straight at Regina.

“You can’t be serious.”

“Cora fits all the criteria. She also had red hair, and Robin said that Zelena does to.”

“That doesn’t mean anything! The cricket has red hair; is he the father?”

“Pretty sure that’s anatomically impossible,” the puppet muttered, “But she does have a point; it is all speculation until we find a way to narrow it down. How do we do that?”

“We draw her out,” Swan said. “If this really is all about her mother, what she’s really looking for is validation. She wants to be worthy.”

“Or her mother was a noble and she wants the inheritance,” Regina sneered, but it rang hollow.

“She has my father’s dagger,” Bae said, “If she wanted a throne, she’d have one.” _Right._

“Is no one else weirded out by the fact that she’s probably listening to us right now?” the grumpy dwarf asked. “She knows we’re coming; she’s not going to tell us anything.”

“That’s why we met here,” Mary Margaret explained, gesturing to the interior of the loft, “Our home is protected by Emma’s blood wards. Regina checked them; even Rumplestiltskin cannot hear us here.”

“Be nice if the rest of the town had them,” the dwarf muttered.

“If you want to kill the Savior,” Regina said, “By all means. Power had limits, even Miss Swan’s.”

“So how do we draw her out?” the puppet asked. “She’s done a damn good job of hiding so far.”

“There’s one person in town that knows her secret,” Swan said, “The Blue Fairy. And if she has been spying on us, she knows it.”

“You think your wards can block her spying but Reul Ghorm’s barrier can’t?” Regina scoffed.

“So we spread it around,” the puppet said, “That shouldn’t be hard.”

“The hard part will be setting up the stake-out so that she doesn’t spot us,” Swan said. After that… what we really need is some of her hair.”

“Her hair?” the puppet asked, incredulous.

“Gold had this spell, it tells you who someone’s biological parents are from one of their hairs.”

“Bloodline spells,” Regina said, “That’s right. But I’ve never cast one; I’ll need a copy of the spell itself.”

“I’ll find it,” Belle said.

“And how do you plan on getting her hair?” the dwarf asked.

“Leave that to me,” Swan said.

XxXxXxX

Zelena was pleased with him. Too pleased. Reading his old notes about her had once again spurred her need for the domestic fantasy. 

“What a lovely doll you are,” she cooed, straightening his tie. He’d objected to that once, insisting that he wasn’t her doll. After that, she never got bored of reminding him that he was. And she was still obsessed with shaving him with the dagger. Of all the new media and technology in the world, the thing she found the most fascinating was apparently his stubble. He just wanted her to stop touching him.

_Weak. Pathetic spinner. Destroy her. The Savior will give you the chance._

“You should never have pushed me away, you know,” she said, “I was always the greater witch. You’d have found your son sooner if you’d picked me. And I wouldn’t have had to punish you.”

_Believe me, dearie, it would have been a punishment._

It wasn’t about greatness,” was all he said. “I needed a tool. Regina better served my purpose.”

“Well I hope you learned your lesson,” Zelena said cheerfully, straightening his hair.

“Yes.” _I should have killed you._

She patted his head like a dog. “Good boy.” She slipped his arm through his and made a show of him ‘escorting’ her to dinner. He knew by now that she expected him to pull out her chair and act the part of gallant lover. He did it, hating himself for it. But her focus had to be on him. Whatever Emma was planning, she had to succeed. If playing house with Zelena was his only way to aid her, he would damn well do it.

“How lovely you are behaving tonight. You know, I might be worried you poisoned the meal if I didn’t know better.” To make her point, she took a bite of her steak with deliberate relish.

He ignored the comment. “Have the maid’s roommates begun to suspect anything?” he asked, certain by now that the answer was still ‘no’. Zelena still had Johanna’s heart, and continued to impersonate her during her afternoon teas with Snow. He’d initially hoped that Snow or the woman’s friends would notice something was amiss, but had given up some weeks ago. If they were going to notice, they would have already. But now the Savior was back; he only hoped that Emma would join them some afternoon. Surely the she would sense that Zelena was being untruthful.

“They still think she’s upset about Snow’s baby being born under a curse,” Zelena chortled. “Fools.”

_So they did notice something. Investigate, Emma! Find her!_ He drank the wine. He complemented the food (Zelena actually was a good cook, but it only made him long for one of Belle’s failed culinary experiments). He played the part. And he waited.

XxXxXxX

Zelena didn’t have to fake a smile when she met Snow the next afternoon. She’d been right all those years ago; Rumple _had_ recognized her talent. His notes had been very explicit that she was the more powerful witch, and he’d taken a rather intriguing inventory of Regina’s weaknesses as well.

And their night of passion had not been amiss either. There were times when she was in the mood for a fight, but there were times when she wasn’t as well.

“Johanna, over here!” Snow called, as she entered the diner. “Did you ever have a chance to meet Emma?” The Savior was sitting next to her mother, a bad attitude wrapped in a red, leather jacket. _Oh, this could be fun._

Zelena extended her hand. “No, I don’t believe we have. It’s lovely to meet you, Emma, I’m Johanna.”

The Savior took her hand with an odd look. “Actually, we have met before. When Anne Catton moved in with you guys, remember?”

Zelena, of course, had no idea what she was talking about. Apparently, something to do with those roommates Rumple kept mentioning. _Perhaps I should look into that._ “Oh, yes, of course. Where is my head today? It’s lovely to see you again.”

The Savior gave her a considering look while she ordered coffee and Zelena and Snow ordered tea (decaffeinated for Snow - apparently, too much caffeine was bad for the baby). “So how is the investigation going?” Zelena asked, knowing full well it was going poorly.

“Pretty well, actually,” Emma said.

_So the Savior is a liar? How amusing._ “Wonderful! What have you found out?”

“We’ve got a name, and we know what she wants. Now all we have to do is track her down.”

“I thought you already had a name. Ingrid?”

“No, Mother Superior finally admitted that she knows what’s going on. We’re looking for a woman named Zelena, who apparently has serious mommy issues.” 

Zelena went very still. _That bug!_ She’d forgotten all about the Blue Fairy, convinced that she, too, had forgotten the period between curses. _But didn’t Rumple say something about her interfering during Regina’s curse? Blast it!_ “What kind of issues?”

“Apparently, all of this,” the Savior indicated the town around them, “Was because her mom gave her up. Textbook stuff, really. Sucky childhood, and now she thinks magic can fix everything, and to hell with the fallout for anyone else. Kinda reminds me of Regina, actually,” she muttered into her coffee.

_I am nothing like Regina!_ “Regina’s improved a lot,” Snow scolded her daughter.

_Ha!_ “Doesn’t mean she regrets any of the crap she pulled. You say she can be trusted, and I trust you, but it’s weird. It’s really, really weird.”

_At least someone sees her for what she is!_ “What, exactly, did the Blue Fairy tell you?” Zelena asked. “And how do you know it’s true?”

“I’m not at liberty to say, but we’re working on the verification now. And she was holding something back; I know it. It’s her usual deal; she wants us all to jump through her hoops. Not this time; I’m getting that information whether she wants to share it or not.” 

Zelena forced herself to smile. “With that attitude, I’m sure you will.”

XxXxXxX

There was something off about Johanna. 

Emma was here because Mary Margaret insisted that, while she was a lovely person, her old nurse was something of a gossip. Between her, Leroy (who was spreading the word at the hospital and the five and dime), and August (who would be making a strategic visit to the Rabbit Hole later that night), by morning, everyone in town would know that Blue knew something important about Zelena.

But something was wrong. She’d lied when Emma had mentioned Anne Catton. And then, over the course of their meeting, Emma had had to correct her baby advice more than once. It could be chalked up to her experience originating from the Enchanted Forest instead of Earth (and any Earth memories she did have originating from the early 80’s), but her explanations for why she thought certain things kept coming up as lies. She was not who she said she was.

“Are you sure? I’ve always found babies sleep better on their stomachs,” Johanna said. And, somehow, it was a lie.

“They sometimes do,” Emma replied, “But it increases the risk of SIDS by a lot. You should always put a baby down to sleep in its back. And no blankets or pillows in the crib either.”

“But they’ll get chilled!”

“One-piece sleepers and turn up the thermostat if you have to. Swaddling is OK if they’re not rolling over yet, but no loose blankets.” 

“I have actually read that,” Mary Margaret said. “But it’s the opposite of what they used to say, isn’t it?”

“Right. In the 80’s, they thought tummy sleeping was better, but the studies show it’s way worse.”

“Well, it sounds like ‘they’ can’t make up their minds,” Johanna said. “I never had any trouble with the babies I cared for.” Another lie.

“And a lot of people who smoke never get lung cancer. Look up the studies, Mary Margaret, they’re very clear.” Emma wondered if she had so many memories of researching and pouring over baby books because that was what Regina had done. It wasn’t how Emma usually approached a problem, but she’d never questioned it until Hook showed up with that potion. “How many babies have you cared for?” Emma asked Johanna.

“Oh, I lost count years ago. Dozens.” As Emma had suspected, it was a lie.

Knowing she was on to something, Emma smiled conspiratorially. “So, can you tell me any embarrassing stories about Mary Margaret?”

“Emma!”

“Oh, come on, you’ve got to have some. Any embarrassing tantrums? That time she insulted some important person at a royal ball?”

“Emma, stop!”

But Johanna just shook her head. “Not our Snow. She was always the perfect, little princess.” Not a lie.

Mary Margaret sighed. “Now, Johanna, you know that’s not true. I was a little terror when I was young. I was just lucky to have you and my mother to teach me how to be a better person. I still feel bad about yelling at you over that stupid tiara.”

“Oh, but you were just a little girl.”

“I was almost thirteen.”

“Oh, everyone is headstrong at that age.” And even that was a lie.

“I sure was,” Emma said. “And Henry’s going through a phase. But he’s still a good kid.”

“Of course he is,” Mary Margaret agreed.

“So do you have any ideas about this Zelena person?” Emma asked. “Have you heard the name before?”

Johanna shook her head. “I’m afraid not.” Absolutely a lie. Johanna knew exactly who Zelena was.

“Are you sure? Nothing to do with Zelena or Oz?”

“I’ve never heard of Oz; what is it?” And that was not only a lie, it was a stupid one; everyone who was taken by the first curse would at least have heard of the movie, even if they didn’t remember having seen it.

“You know, the Wizard of Oz?” Mary Margaret said. “Robin says it even has a yellow brick road and an Emerald City just like the movie.”

“Don’t forget the flying monkeys,” Emma muttered.

“Flying monkeys? How odd.” But Johanna did not think it was odd at all; that was another lie. She was clearly working for Zelena. Now Emma just had to find a way to let Mary Margaret know without giving away that she knew.

“So what are your plans for the evening?” Emma asked.

Johanna smiled. “Oh, you know, nothing special. Cook dinner. Read a book. Do some chores.” Two truths and a lie. 

“What are you reading? Anything good?”

“Oh, yes. It’s… a set of memoirs. Very enlightening.” And that was the truth. 

“Oh, whose?” Mary Margaret asked.

“Oh, no one important, just a teacher.” The first statement was a giant, screaming lie, while the second was true. _Gold was Regina’s teacher… is she talking about Gold’s journals?_

“Wonderful!” Mary Margaret said, “Maybe I should read it. I do want to go back to teaching when the baby’s old enough. Who’s the author?”

Johanna shifted nervously. “You know, the name’s just on the tip of my tongue. Why don’t I write down the title for you and bring it tomorrow?”

“Great!”

Realizing that she just wasn’t going to be able to tip off Mary Margaret, Emma decided to suck it up and call for back-up. Magical back-up. She took out her phone. “Sorry, guys, I’ve just got to check in with Henry real quick.” Debating between Nova, Tink, Elsa, and Regina, Emma realized that, her doubts aside, she wanted this over. Now. She needed the big guns, and with Gold out of the picture, that meant Regina. She sent her a text.

_Johanna working for Zelena - at diner now_

“Is everything all right?” Johanna asked. 

“Fine. He’s with August right now; he’s been keeping him occupied. I just want to make sure they’re not having _too_ much fun, if you know what I mean. August can go overboard sometimes.” 

Johanna nodded with a smile. “Boys will be boys. And men will be boys too.” Mary Margaret laughed. The patrons of the diner all turned when Regina suddenly appeared in front of the door, purple smoke swirling around her.

“Regina,” Mary Margaret said, “Is something wrong?”

“Perhaps,” she said, staring pinning Johanna with a threatening stare. 

“I called her,” Emma said, setting her coffee aside. She reached for her cuffs.

“Why?” Mary Margaret asked, “Is something wrong?”

“Miss Swan seems to think Johanna here is working for Zelena.” Regina said, walking over to them and towering over the seated maid.

“W-what?” Johanna asked, “That’s impossible! I’m not working for anyone!” And somehow, that was true. Which made no sense, unless… _Shit._ What she wouldn’t give for Greg and Tamara’s magic-suppressing cuff right about now.

“You’re Zelena, aren’t you?” Emma asked, and the diner patrons who had been staring at them started to back away.

“What? No! How could I possibly be Zelena? 

Emma stood up. “That was a lie. You are Zelena.”

“Of course not!”

“Emma, this can’t be…” Mary Margaret began, her hand laid protectively on her belly.

“It is,” Emma said.

Regina wasted no time. She flicked her fingers and the back of Zelena’s metal chair came to life and wrapped around her like a vine. “This is a mistake!” Johann objected.

“Emma!” Mary Margaret cried.

Emma reached out and yanked some hairs from Johanna’s head. In her hand, they suddenly became longer and redder. “She’s using some kind of magic to change her appearance,” Emma said. “It’s definitely her.”

“It’s not! Let me go! Snow!” Johanna looked at Mary Margaret with pleading eyes; everything about it was false.

Mary Margaret swallowed hard and asked, “What was the name of my first pony?”

“What?”

“The name of my first pony. Johanna would know that. What have you done with her?”

Johanna’s look of panic then melted into a confidently sardonic expression. “Oh, very well.” Johanna disappeared in a puff of green smoke, only to reappear in the middle of the room. But the dumpy brunette had been replaced by a tall and lean red-head in a smart, black skirt suit, holding the Gold’s dagger in her hand. “You got me,” she said. “And I’d only been impersonating your childhood nurse for weeks! You people really are helpless without your Savior, aren’t you?”

“What have you done with Johanna?!” Mary Margaret demanded.

“Oh, this and that,” Zelena said, gesturing casually with the dagger. “I’m afraid it does get terribly boring with just me and Rumple.” And there was an edge to her smile that Emma recognized. Wherever Gold was, Emma was suddenly a lot more worried for him. And the rest of them. 

“You should have invited me,” Regina said, a fireball floating above her hand, “I’d have made it more interesting.”

“Oh, Regina,” Zelena said, and her grin was as mad as Jefferson’s. “I suppose it is time.”

“Time for what?”

“Why, time to prove that I’m better than you, of course,” she said. “A duel. Between sisters.”

“Sisters?” Regina asked in disbelief. _Crap. I hate being right._

Zelena gestured to Emma. “Test them if you don’t believe me,” she said. “That is what you wanted my hair for, right? To verify what Reul Ghorm told you? It’s just as well. I’ve grown tired of waiting; it’s time for us to settle this, Regina.”

“I don’t know you!”

“Oh, but I know you. Everything you were handed on a silver plate - it was meant to be mine!”

“You mean mother’s head games? Or Rumple’s? Or were you referring to my dead fiancé?”

“Oh, Regina, that’s so like you. You have no appreciation for what you were given, no appreciation for family. Take the day, do your little tests. I want you to know the truth, so you’ll know who it was who defeated you.”

“You haven’t defeated me.”

“All in due time. I was thinking sundown. Main Street. Oh, and bring all your little friends; I want them all the be there to see the Evil Queen lose.”

“I don’t lose.”

“Neither do I. I guess one of us is about to make history. Oh, and just so you don’t get any ideas…” Zelena lunged for Regina, her right hand plunging into her chest. Her expression morphed from smug to shocked, and Regina chuckled. 

“Well that answers one question. I was wondering why I took my heart out during the missing year. Let me guess; you tried this before and you thought pushing reset would give you another chance? Well, it seems like you went to an awful lot of effort for nothing.” Regina summed a wave of magic to slam Zelena into the bar.

But Zelena was quicker. Teeth bared in rage, she pushed the spell back and got Regina into some kind of Darth Vader force choke hold. “Hey!” Emma shouted, and without thinking, she sent a blast of pure light magic towards Regina. It broke the spell, dropping her, gasping, to the floor.

Zelena turned and raised a hand, and all the cutlery on the table rose up and started circling Mary Margaret. “Stay out of this,” Zelena said, “Unless you want me to filet your mother. Or call the Dark One.” Emma froze. 

Zelena looked back at Regina, who was pushing herself up. “Make no mistake, little sis, I _will_ get your heart. Everything you ever had will be mine. You cannot stop me, and with the Dark One by my side, neither can the Savior.” And then she disappeared, the green smoke marking her exit. Mary Margaret jumped when the cutlery circling her fell, clattering on the floor and tabletop.

“Well, that was dramatic,” Regina huffed, getting to her feet and brushing off her clothes.

“Are you all right?” Emma asked.

“Just peachy.” Regina brushed herself off, then held out her hands. A box appeared in them, and she opened it, checking the contents. Regina nodded once then closed it with an audible click.

“Is that…?”

“My heart?” Regina said. “Yes. We need to test that hair; if Zelena really is my sister, I’ll have to revamp my wards.”

“You’ve been wandering around without your heart this entire time?”

“Yes. And a good thing too. Whatever Zelena is planning, she obviously needs my heart for it.”

“We need to find Johanna,” Mary Margaret said. 

“We need to find Rumple,” Regina countered. “Now that her cover is blown, there’s nothing keeping her from setting him on the town.”

“Or sending him after your heart.”

“That too.”

Mary Margaret tried again, “But Johanna-”

“Is probably already dead,” Regina said flatly.

“No. I refuse to accept that. We have to look for her.”

“She might be holding them in the same place,” Emma said. “You said your tracking spells for Gold went nowhere. This could be our second shot.”

Regina looked at her with what Emma would swear was a form of respect. “Now there’s an idea.”

XxXxXxX

“I’m back!” Zelena said with false cheer. Rumplestiltskin looked up. She wasn’t alone.

_Johanna. Something went wrong._ He didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. “Have a good trip, dearie?” he asked Zelena.

“A bit of a hiccup. Nothing to worry about. Now, what should we do with this one?”

_A hiccup?_ Obviously, her impersonation had been found out. His curse cackled. Rumplestiltskin resisted the urge to grin. “I suppose that depends,” he said, letting his hands hang though the wires. At last, things were moving against her. Hope sparked inside him, trying to become a flame.

“On what?” she asked, genuinely curious.

“On what you plan to do next.” _Tell me. Tell me where you went wrong. Tell me how you’re going to fail._

But Zelena saw through his ploy. “Ah, ah. It’s not time for that yet, doll.” Zelena rolled her hand, and Johanna’s heart appeared in it. She started circling the terrified woman. “Tell me, Dark One, how should we kill her?” she asked him, her eyes never leaving her prey.

He didn’t want this. But his curse did. It crowed with glee, reveling in the possibility, but, since taking it back, he’d been able to distinguish its desires from his own (sometimes). He did not want to kill this woman. He didn’t know why. She was a witness to his weakness, but, somehow, he bore her no ill will for it. She might even be an asset, if he could help her escape and pass a message along. “Let her live,” he said. Zelena looked at him suspiciously. He shrugged. “You know what they say - waste not, want not. Perhaps she’ll be of use to you.”

“How?”

“A hostage? A servant? A spy?” 

“Hm.” Zelena’s lip was curled in distain; she obviously wasn’t impressed by his argument.

Rumplestiltskin doubled down. “She served Regina.” It was true, if by ‘served’ he meant ‘was enslaved by’.

“Really?” Zelena asked, her tone suddenly interested. 

He shrugged. “She might have something useful to say.”

She looked back and Johanna, and he knew he had her. “Now, that is interesting. Did you enjoy working for my sister?” she asked.

“No,” Johanna answered. “I had no choice.”

“No choice?”

“She’d have killed me.”

Zelena cocked her head to the side. “So you did have a choice; you chose to live. What would you say if I said I’d let you live if you help me take Snow White’s baby?”

On trembling legs, Johanna stared her down. “I’d say you’d have to kill me. I may have mopped the Evil Queen’s floors, but I would never betray my true Queen.”

Zelena was enjoying the show. “No?” She brandished Johanna’s heart. “You’ve already helped me. For six weeks, I’ve been impersonating you, whispering into Snow’s ear. She obviously doesn’t think much of you if she didn’t notice something was wrong.”

Johanna looked at Rumplestiltskin, pleading. He shrugged. “She has a point, dearie.” Zelena laughed, but it was brittle. She was putting on her performance, he realized, a ‘brave face’. Something had gone wrong, deeper than the issue of Johanna. 

Zelena sent Johanna’s heart back to wherever she had stashed it. “Now that we’ve established how little you matter to your precious Queen, I’m going to give you some time to consider exactly what it would mean to defy me. I’ll call you when I need you again.” And the older woman was transformed into a flying monkey. Rumplestiltskin almost sighed at the predictability.

Zelena shooed the monkey away then turned to him. “Tell me, Rumple, if Regina were to hide her heart somewhere, where would she choose?” Rumplestiltskin blinked. _A setback indeed._ His hope caught fire. If they ever got out of this, he might even owe Regina a favor.

XxXxXxX

“Oh, she’s good,” Regina said.

“Not encouraging,” Emma groused as David and Robin tried to look past the barrier they had almost run straight into.

“How did we never notice this was here?” Robin asked.

“It repels and misdirects,” Regina said. “Without the tracking charm, we never would have found it.”

“So how do we break it?” Emma asked.

“No idea. I’ve never seen anything like this. The only person in town who might would be-”

“Let me guess: Gold.”

Regina nodded. “Perhaps the Blue Fairy as well, but now that I can feel it, it’s dark. Really dark.”

“And even if she did know, she’s not going to tell us squat,” Emma said.

“That too.”

“So now what?”

“We see if the bookworm’s come up with anything.”

“She has a name,” Emma said pointedly. Regina just grunted.


	23. Ulterior Motives

“Reul Ghorm was right,” Belle said. “She’s working on a time spell. No one has ever cast one successfully, but they do exist, and there are four ingredients they all have in common. The first one is a resilient heart.”

“Regina’s heart,” Mary Margaret said.

“It would qualify,” Belle said, grudgingly. She still didn’t trust Regina, but they needed her to bring Rumple home. And she _had_ begun to reject the darkness.

“What are the other ingredients?” Emma asked.

“A brilliant mind.”

“Gold,” the blonde said immediately.

“Yes.” Belle had initially thought that the witch might be planning to use Rumple’s heart, but apparently she preferred her sister’s. And there was no denying that Rumple was brilliant. “Next is courage.”

“How can she harvest that?” Emma asked.

“Any number of ways,” Regina said. “And in this town? From any number of people.”

David nodded gravely. “What’s the final ingredient?”

“Innocence,” Belle said. “And of all of them, this is the one that no one has ever been able to get right.”

“Henry,” Emma said immediately. “Goddammit! Henry! And I brought him right to her!”

“It’s possible,” Belle said. “But I don’t think so. Henry is the Truest Believer, that’s not the same thing as innocent.”

“Isn’t it? All that stuff about happy endings - and now he doesn’t even remember who he is!”

“He’s cursed,” Regina said. Emma glared at her. “What? He is! I made it as pleasant as I could, but it’s still a curse. That’s not innocent, not for magical purposes.”

“Are you just saying that because you don’t want to admit the danger he’s in?”

“No!”

Belle sighed. “Regina’s right, Emma. For magical purposes, Henry is touched by darkness. I really don’t think it’s him.”

“Who, then?”

“Our baby,” Mary Margaret said, cradling her belly. “That’s why she was pretending to be Johanna; to get our baby.”

“That… actually makes a lot more sense,” Regina said. “Your firstborn is the Savior. Your second born could be just as powerful.”

“We have to stop her,” Mary Margaret said.

“Obviously,” Regina snapped. “Does Rumple have anything in here about barriers?” She gestured to the books piled on Rumple’s worktable. Belle knew that he wouldn’t want all these people gathered in the back of the shop, but she could apologize after they found him.

“What kind of barrier?”

“One that directs attention away from it.”

“I’ll look, but it doesn’t sound familiar.” 

“How does it work?” Bae asked, his tone serious. He’d elected to homeschool himself, with Belle’s assistance. It meant that he spent a lot of time helping her research rather than doing his schoolwork, but she hadn’t had the heart to take him to task for it.

“I just told you,” Regina said impatiently, “It directs your attention away from it.”

“No, I mean, what do you do when you’re under its influence? Avoid it? Walk in circles?”

“What are you thinking, kid?” Emma asked.

He braced a hand on the table. “We never did find Pan, and everyone else from Neverland is here. Pan used to do that, fool us like that. The island… you never knew where you were walking. You’d think you were walking towards the beach and you’d be circling the same tree for ages. What if it’s not Ingrid she’s teamed up with; what if it’s Pan?”

“Why would Pan work with her?” David asked.

“Why wouldn’t he? She wants to turn back time, right? Pan did that. Remember, Belle? Papa said that Pan wasn’t a boy at all - he used to be a man. Suppose that he did lose his power when we destroyed the Shadow; what if he’s trying to get it back?”

“It’s another theory we have no way of confirming,” Regina said. “At this point, it doesn’t matter who Zelena’s allies are. It’s her spell, her plan, and she has the dagger. She’s the one we have to stop.”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Emma said, “But I agree with Regina. Mother Superior did say it was Zelena’s plan alone, and she was telling the truth. If she does have allies, maybe she’s making them work for her, like she did with Gold.”

“Or she just killed them to get them out of the way,” Regina said. “With the dagger, it wouldn’t be hard.”

“So it all comes down to the dagger,” David said. “If we can get it away from her…”

Mary Margaret shook her head. “You weren’t there, David; she practically had it glued to her hand.”

“And if she does put it down, it will be behind that barrier,” Regina said.

“So we break it,” Emma said.

“Weren’t you listening?” Regina asked. “Even if Rumple’s notes do have something, this barrier is like nothing I’ve ever encountered before.”

“And Cora’s barrier was like nothing Nova and I had ever encountered before, and we still broke it,” Emma said. “This time, we’ve got you, Elsa, and Tink to back us up. We can knock it down if we pool our powers.”

“Do you even know how to use your powers? Because I remember hearing something about Rumple offering to teach you and you saying no,” Regina said.

“I let him show me how to set up the blood wards. And the rest I figured out when I had to.”

Regina shook her head. “This isn’t some barrier someone threw up on ten minutes; it’s been there for months, and my sister obviously knows what she is doing.”

“And don’t you? I thought you studied for years.”

“I did. And it took years to get there.”

“Elsa didn’t,” Belle pointed out. “Her powers are instinctual, like Emma’s. I think Elsa could help you, Emma. And perhaps Tinker Bell as well. If this is Pan’s spell, she will recognize it. Perhaps even John and Michael as well.”

“Then I think we have a plan,” Emma said. “In the meantime, I do have another idea. If you can supervise, Belle, I’m wondering if Regina can do anything with this.” She pulled a mostly-empty vial out of her jacket.

“Is that Hook’s memory potion?” Regina asked, snatching it out of her hand. “You had some left? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because there wasn’t enough to bring back anyone’s memories. But between Gold’s books and what you know, I thought you might be able to make more. We learned today that there’s a reason you guys forgot everything. Zelena tried to get your heart during the missing year and failed; I’d like to know what else happened. Can you do it?”

Regina shook the vial. “There’s not a lot in here, but yes, I should be able to replicate it.”

Emma looked at Belle. “Can you work with her? Or should I call Nova?”

“You still don’t trust me?” Regina accused. “I’ve been nothing but helpful, and your little superpower should be telling you that the only things I want right now are Zelena’s destruction and for my son to remember me!”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” Emma said flatly.

“Emma-” Snow objected.

“Are you serious? You think I’m going to - what? Bring back Henry’s memories, defeat Zelena myself, and skip town?”

“The thought had occurred to me,” Emma said.

“No,” Regina said. “No, there’s something more than that. Are you- Are you actually considering not trying to get Henry’s memories back? So you can keep him for yourself?”

“No!”

But Regina shook her head. “You’re lying. I can’t believe it. I guess, deep down, the Savior is just as selfish as the rest of us.”

“It’s not selfish!” Emma shouted. “He’s not safe here!”

“He’s not safe out there! How long did it take that flying monkey to find you? How did you not notice he was lying to you, if your superpower is so great?”

“I’d forgotten-” Emma bit off what she was going to say. 

Regina finished it for her. “Magic. Storybrooke. Everything you learned here. If you’d remembered, you’d have seen that monkey coming. And you want to keep Henry in the dark?”

“I’m trying to protect him!”

“So am I!”

“Emma,” Bae said quietly. “Don’t do this.”

Emma sighed. “Kid, you don’t understand.”

“Don’t I? What memories are you trying to protect him from? Are they worse than seeing his father become the Dark One? Worse than Neverland? I’ve been on Henry’s side of this, Emma.”

“And don’t you wish sometimes that I never made you remember?”

“No. I was _cursed._ What you’re doing - even Papa refused to do it. Even when I asked him to. Mr. French went to prison for trying to do it to Belle; you knew it was wrong then.”

“This isn’t the same thing-”

“It is exactly the same thing,” Regina snapped. 

“Bae’s right, Emma,” Belle said. “My father thought he was protecting me and wouldn’t listen to what I wanted. What do you think Henry would want?”

“Henry is twelve-”

“Do you really think he’ll feel differently when he’s eighteen?” Bae asked tiredly. “He told me that Regina was a good mother, once. You don’t have the right to take that from him.”

“Regina-”

“Didn’t become the Dark One.” Bae never got up from his seat, but his gazed pinned Emma better than Rumple had ever been able to manage.

“I’m not having this conversation with you,” she said, looking away.

“Please,” Mary Margaret said, “Why don’t we all take some time to think about this. Henry aside, it would be a huge help if the rest of us could remember the past year; Regina, can you get started on the potion? Belle, will you help?”

Belle nodded. Regina did too. “If it works, you don’t give that to Henry without my permission,” Emma said.

Regina sneered and began, “I will-”

Belle cut her off. “We won’t. But, Emma, please reconsider.”

Emma took a deep breath, and Belle recognized the expression on her face - it was the same one Rumple had when he knew he’d been wrong but wasn’t ready to admit it. “I’ll think about it.”

XxXxXxX

“Damn it!” Regina snarled. The bookworm and Rumple’s brat watched as she slammed the vial down on the tabletop.

“I take it that means it didn’t work?” Baelfire asked wryly.

“Yes! And there’s nothing left to replicate! We need Jones - I will find out who gave him this if I have to drag it out of him with magic.”

“Can you look into his memories?”

“Rumple never taught me that little trick,” Regina said darkly, “But there are other ways.”

“No,” the bookworm said.

“Really? You’re going to defend the pirate? I think Rumple might have thing or two to say about that-”

“Rumple taught Emma how to view memories, remember? She can do it,” the bookworm said.

“Yeah, well, forgive me if I don’t trust the Savior with this. She wants Henry to stay cursed!” And no one had called her a villain for it. The hypocrisy was sickening.

“She’s scared for her son; she’ll come around.”

“He’s my son!”

“Too,” Baelfire said.

“What?”

“He’s your son _too._ You and Emma almost tore the town apart fighting over him before; you need to get over that if we’re going to defeat Zelena.”

Regina grit her teeth. Oh, there was plenty she could say to that, but he was right about two things. First, Zelena was the threat. And second, if there was anything Regina had learned about Miss Swan by now, it was that there was no keeping her and Henry apart. For the first time in her life, Regina was going to have to share. And she didn’t like it. At all. “Fine,” she said, “Let’s at least track the handless wonder down.”

XxXxXxX

“I’m not sure this is a good idea,” Elsa said. Emma had found her at her job at Modern Fashions. Mr. Hansen owned the place. In the Enchanted Forest, he’d apparently been the tailor best known for selling ‘invisible’ fabric to nobles and had been so floored by the idea that a Queen would be willing to work retail that he’d offered Elsa a job as soon as she had asked. He also claimed she had an eye for fashion. 

“Neither am I,” Emma replied. “But we don’t have a lot of options.”

“Are you certain that she’s after Mary Margaret’s baby?”

“We’re certain she’s trying to change time, which could be catastrophic for everyone, the baby included. I need your help. Gold’s not here, and Regina - let’s just say Regina and I have history.”

“I though she was on our side.”

“She is. But we have… issues. It just wouldn’t be a good idea, trust me.” Elsa wrung her hands together and Emma was getting the impression that there really was something up with her. “Is there something wrong?”

Elsa bit her lip. “I don’t know. Ever since we came here, my magic has felt… strange.”

“Magic is different here. Regina couldn’t even use it at first; could it be that?”

Elsa shook her head. “I don’t think so. But I don’t know what it is; perhaps this memory potion will explain it.”

“It might. But there’s one guy I know can definitely help you; that’s Gold. If we can just get that dagger back, it’s the key to everything.”

Elsa nodded. “Belle misses him.”

“She does. Bae too.”

Elsa took a deep breath. “All right, I’ll do it.”

“Good.”

Emma called Nova and Tink while Elsa spoke to her boss. She and Elsa were on the way to the toll bridge to meet the faries (Elsa insisted that the best place to practice would be away from the populated areas, and Emma had to agree), when Emma’s phone rang. “Belle, How’s it going?”

“It didn’t work; Regina couldn’t replicate it.” Still reeling from their disagreement earlier, Emma didn’t comment. “She thinks that we need to interrogate Hook and trace it back to the source.”

“Good luck with that; Hook’s not talking.”

“He doesn’t have to. You can pull his memories out with a dream catcher.”

It wasn’t necessarily a bad plan, but... “The last time Gold did that to someone, it didn’t work out too well.”

Belle sighed. “I know. But it’s not inherently dark magic. If you do it right, you won’t harm him at all.”

“And if I don’t? Could I end up scrambling his brains?”

“I don’t know. But if you don’t try, I believe that Regina will do something drastic.”

Emma sighed. It wasn’t that she cared about Hook, but he was a human being. And Emma feared that a little jaunt back into Evil Queendom for Regina would be letting the genie out of the bottle (no pun intended); between Zelena and Gold they weren’t even holding their own. Losing Regina would tank them. “Call Tink,” she said. “She and Hook are as friendly as he is with anyone-” _except me_ “-and she’s been keeping an eye on him for me. Maybe he’ll cooperate if he knows what his other options are. Elsa and I will meet you guys at the Sherriff’s station, and we’ll plan this out.”

“All right, Emma.”

XxXxXxX

“I’m sorry, love, I can’t tell you who gave me the potion.”

“Why not?” Tink asked. 

“It was the arrangement.”

“Look,” Emma said, and she seemed to have gotten her fire back. Killian grinned. “This could be our only way to defeat Zelena. Your ass is on the line here too. Are you really telling me a pirate can’t bend the rules?”

He looked at her appreciatively. “A fair point. But-” Killian’s breath caught in this throat. He’d been about to say, _“he was adamant”_ , but his voice was gone.

“What?” Emma asked, annoyed. “What were you going to say?”

He tried again, but he couldn’t get the words out. “- I can’t tell you.” He tried to explain, _“He bound my tongue”_ , but that too caused his voice to fail.

“What is it?” Emma asked again. He pointed to his throat.

Tink raised her wand and pointed is at his neck. “He’s under a geas. He can’t tell us the name. Or anything about them.” Killian nodded.

“Are you sure?” Emma asked.

“Yes.”

“Who cast it?”

“I don’t know. I can’t even tell - it’s not dark. It’s not light. It simply is.”

Killian laughed dryly. “I gave my word. I guess the Dark One is not the only one who seals agreements with magic.”

“Who could even do something like that?” Emma asked Tink.

“Anyone with enough knowledge. Magic contracts are binding. And Hook is right, the Dark One is not the only one who uses them.”

“Zelena?”

“No,” Killian said, relieved he could at least tell her that much. If they thought he was allied with Zelena, he was finished.

Tink looked at Emma. “Was that true?”

“Yes,” she said. “Pan?”

He couldn’t answer. “Ingrid?” Tink asked. He couldn’t answer that either.

“The Blue Fairy?” Emma asked with narrowed eyes, and that, too, was off limits.

“So the only thing you can tell us is that it wasn’t Zelena?”

He rubbed his throat. “It seems so. I’m sorry, love; I’d tell you if I could.”

Emma looked at Tink. “We’re going to have to try the dream catcher.”

“I thought you weren’t sold on that,” Tink said.

“If someone bound him like this, there has to be a reason.”

“Dream catcher?” Killian asked.

“You know that thing Gold used to store your memories when he turned you into a teenager?” Emma asked.

“Ah. Like a spider’s web in a circle.”

“That’s it. He showed me how to do it. I can look at your memories directly and get the name that way. At least, I think I can.”

“Think?”

She grimaced. “I haven’t actually tried it by myself; Gold always did the heavy lifting.”

Killian laughed. “If I allowed the crocodile to touch my memories, do you really think I would deny you? I said I’d help if I could, Emma. Go ahead.” He pulled a chair with wheels away from a desk and sat in it, his arms folded.

“OK,” she said nervously. Tink produced the dream catcher and handed it to Emma. Killian felt the feathers brush the top of his head as she held it over him. She closed her eyes as she concentrated, and Killian watched, admiring the view. He was touched that she was worried about him. He trusted her, and wasn’t that an odd thing after three centuries as a pirate?

She opened her eyes as she removed the dream catcher and showed it to Tink, summoning the image inside. But as Killian’s memory shifted from the wheel of the Jolly Roger to the dock, the image blurred. “Damn it!” Emma cursed.

“I’m sorry, love,” Killian said. “If it’s any help at all, I don’t think-” and he suddenly realized that he no longer remembered what he had known. “It’s gone,” he said.

“What’s gone?” Emma asked.

“I don’t remember.” He looked at the dream catcher in her hand. “This happened last time. Put the memory back in my head; if I can find this person for you, I will.” 

Emma looked at Tinker Bell. “How do I do that?”

“Show him the image inside,” she said.

“The image is corrupted.”

“I know,” he said. “I saw it.”

“And the memories did not return?” Tink asked. 

“No.”

Emma looked at the dream catcher. “Fuck.”

XxXxXxX

“Let me get this straight,” Regina hissed, “You destroyed Hook’s memories of where he got the potion? You idiot!”

“It wasn’t her fault,” Belle said. “The same thing would have happened if you had cast the spell; the geas is what corrupted them.”

“You don’t know that!”

“Look for yourself!” Belle shoved the dream catcher at her. She had had quite enough of Regina’s attitude. Belle was disappointed too, but Emma’s idea to pool their powers to break the barrier still had merit - if they could manage to work together.

“Why did you even bring him!” she shouted, gesturing to the pirate. “Who but Zelena would put a geas on him?”

“It wasn’t Zelena, that was the one thing he was able to tell us.”

“Rumple, then. At her orders.”

“All the more reason to tear down that barrier, your Majesty,” Hook said. Belle hated to admit it, but she agreed with him.

“Emma’s plan is the best we’ve got,” Bae said. “If you free my father he can brew the potion; he won’t need anything to work off of.”

“And why would he help me?” Regina demanded.

“He’d help Henry if I ask him to; you know that.”

Regina huffed. “It’s down to the barrier now,” Emma said. “It’s all we’ve got.”

Regina glared at her. “Fine, then. But I don’t have time for you to drag your feet; we’re starting now.”

“We? You’re sure?” Emma asked archly. Elsa and Tink exchanged glances.

Regina took an aggressive step forward. “Yes, we. You may be the Savior, but I’ve been working with magic since your mother was a little girl. Do you want to break that barrier, or don’t you?”

Emma met Regina’s challenge just as fiercely. “Fine,” she spat.

“The let’s go.” Regina snapped her fingers, and she, Elsa, Emma, Tink, and Nova all vanished. Hook jumped.

“Where’s she taken them?” he demanded.

“To practice,” Bae said blandly. “You can go back to your ship now.”

“I can help!”

“Unless you have magic you haven’t mentioned before, no, you can’t,” Bae said. “Leave.”

“Listen, lad-”

“No. I don’t want to hear anything for you. You are the reason we are in this situation. I don’t know why you’re trying to help us now, and I don’t really care. We still have a restraining order against you. Get. Out.”

“Yes,” Belle said, standing next to Bae. “You are not welcome here. Go.”

His nostrils flared, and Belle took a mental inventory of the weapons around them in case he attacked again, but he did not. “As you wish, lad,” he said bitterly, rattling the door on his way out.

Belle embraced Baelfire. “It won’t be long, now,” she said. “We’ll get him back.”

Bae just nodded and hugged her back.

XxXxXxX

“Oh, what are they doing now?” Zelena asked. When Rumplestiltskin had been unable to guess the location of Regina’s heart, she’d gone back to spying, confident that Regina would lead them back to it eventually. 

Rumplestiltskin would have expected a bigger tantrum, but Snow’s baby did have another few weeks to go after all. No, it seemed Zelena was more concerned about Miss Swan; if she was able to take the dagger back, it wouldn’t matter whether Zelena found Regina’s heart or not.

Rumplestiltskin looked into the portal. Regina had conjured a barrier. Elsa was blasting it with ice, while the two fallen fairies brandished their wands and Emma did… something. Or was attempting to do something. Her hands were raised towards Regina, but nothing was happening. “Training, I would guess,” he answered Zelena.

Regina taunted Emma to, “Do it! Stop holding back and do it!” Emma glared furiously, and Zelena laughed. 

“Well, the Savior doesn’t seem to be-”

With a sneer, Regina launched a fireball at Emma, which she immediately deflected - directly into Regina’s barrier. The barrier exploded, knocking all the women back. “What the hell, Regina?” Emma shouted. 

“You broke the barrier, didn’t you?” Regina huffed, brushing ash from her black, designer coat. “Now try it again, preferably without singing my eyebrows off.”

Emma grit her teeth, but raised her hands again. Elsa joined her. It was snowing lightly, but Rumplestiltskin didn’t know if it was the result of the October weather or the snow witch. Zelena began to pace. “So she is powerful. But untrained,” she said. 

“Yes,” Rumplestiltskin agreed.

“How powerful?”

“I’ve never really tested her.”

“Because she would not allow herself to be tested,” Zelena said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “All that power, and she would rather let it stagnate.”

He glanced at her. She was entirely correct, and that worried him; he hadn’t realized that she had that much insight into the Savior. This wasn’t the first time she’d known more than she should have; he’d often wondered exactly how long she had been spying on all of them. “Yes,” he said simply.

“It’s a wonder she and Regina don’t get along; they’re both so ungrateful. Still, there must be a way to block her power…” Rumplestiltskin wondered why Zelena did not simply order him to kill the Savior, but he wasn’t about to ask. The fact that Elsa, likewise, had been allowed to live hinted that Zelena’s powers had more limitations than he knew. He did recognize Glinda’s work in the pendant she had told them about so many months ago and now glittered at him mockingly every time Zelena moved; it must be that.

Through the portal, they watched as Regina and Emma continued to argue. Elsa and Nova tried to mediate, while Tinker Bell backed Emma. Rumplestiltskin was not encouraged. _Stop fighting, you fools and work together! She will destroy us all if you don’t!_

Not that he’d had much faith in their ability to break the barrier to begin with; it was the product of his and Zelena’s powers combined. When it came sheer, raw power, even the Savior could never match him. And Zelena had always possessed more power than her sister, even before she had Glinda’s pendant.

Zelena watched Regina and Emma argue with a sly smile on her face, then grinned when Regina shouted, “I’m not the one who destroyed your pet pirate’s memories!”

“For the last time, I have nothing to do with him!”

Regina snorted, “I’m sure. Is that why you’re so willing to forget that we wouldn’t be in the situation at all if he hadn’t led Owen to the dagger?”

“We wouldn’t be in the situation if you hadn’t cast the first curse!”

“Henry wouldn’t have been born if I hadn’t cast the first curse!”

“Leave Henry out of this!”

“Stop fighting!” Elsa cried, and the wind picked up, pelting Regina and Emma with sleet.

“Knock it off, snowball!” Regina snarled, conjuring a shield.

“You knock it off, Regina.” Tinker Bell said. “I should have known-“

“All of you knock it off,” Nova snapped, looking at Emma. “I’m disappointed in all of you; we have a job to do here. Everyone is counting on us.”

At last, common sense prevailed, although Rumplestiltskin thought it was a sad state of affairs when the scatter-brained fairy was the most levelheaded in the bunch. Regina and Emma refused to apologize to each other, of course, but with Nova’s prodding (aided by Elsa and a grudging Tinker Bell), they were able to get back on task. Tapping her chin thoughtfully, Zelena changed the image in her portal to that of the pirate.

He had draped himself morosely over the wheel of his ship, staring aimlessly at the town. Rumplestiltskin idly wondered if he had ever mooned over Milah like this. _Unlikely. Milah never told him ‘no’, even with a husband and little boy at home._

_You enjoyed killing her - admit it._

_I never denied that._

“My, he really does look quite miserable, doesn’t he?” Zelena said of the pirate.

“Gods willing,” Rumplestiltskin deadpanned.

Zelena laughed. “There’s my Dark One. Do you think he truly cares about her?”

“I think he thinks he does.”

She grinned. “Good enough.”

XxXxXxX

A week into practicing, and the only thing Emma was sure of at this point was that Nova aught to be nominated for sainthood. They’d tried twice to break down the barrier, and failed both times. Naturally, Regina pitched a fit each time, and Emma simply could not stop herself from rising to the bait. She was sure that they would have given up on working together entirely if not for Nova. She refused to let them give up, and mediated every argument like a pro. Whatever had happened during that missing year, Nova had clearly become a hell of a fairy godmother.

But that didn’t change the fact that they were getting nowhere, and everyone was out of ideas. 

Belle had found nothing in Gold’s books. They’d heard nothing from Zelena, even as they actively attacked her stronghold. Henry was getting suspicious as hell (August was doing his best to keep him distracted, but there was only so much he could do, and Regina sniffing around was not helping at all). And every day, the townspeople wanted to know how close they were to apprehending Zelena.

And then there was Hook. With everything else on her plate, Emma was in no mood to deal with a lovesick pirate (Regina’s words, not hers), and he was becoming annoyingly persistent. She told him flat-out that she was not interested him and that she did not have time for anyone with Zelena was still on the loose, and he only repeated his offers to help, making no effort to conceal his motives. She was pretty sure that David had had a word with him, but (aside for the fact that it hadn’t helped) she did not want that either - Hook was her problem to deal with, and David had no right to interfere.

In the end, she told him to keep his eyes and ears open down at the docks and at the Rabbit Hole, and report back if he heard anything interesting. She was probably encouraging him too much, but she wasn’t willing to ignore any possible lead at this point. She wanted this over. Now.


	24. Kiss the Girls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: psychological manipulation/torture, sexual assault

Killian sat up straight when Emma entered the bar. As per her request, he spent his days scouring Storybrooke’s underbelly for any information on the Wicked Witch; that meant resuming his nightly visits to the Rabbit Hole. It left a sour taste in his mouth these days, but he was certain that there was no better way into her heart than to be the one to help her defeat Zelena.

But she’d never joined him before. 

Everyone in the bar noticed when she walked in, and some of the glances were less than friendly. The former Sherriff of Nottingham, for example, gave her a glare Hook was going to have to pay him back for later. But not now, not while Emma was here.

He smiled at her and gestured to the chair across from him. “Emma, how wonderful to see you. Care for a drink?” She looked him up and down, hands on her hips, and he only grinned wider. Whatever she wanted, she had come to him, and that was encouragement enough.

“Fine,” she said eventually, taking a seat, and Killian signaled the waitress. Emma ordered an ale and they stared at each other over the stained tabletop as they waited for it to arrive.

“What can I do for you?” Killian asked.

“I’m not sure yet,” she said cryptically.

“Oh?”

“What are you really after, Killian?”

It was the second time she’d ever called him by his first name (the first had been when she’d implored him not the kill Rumplestiltskin with the dagger). It was a good sign if he ever saw one. “I think you know the answer to that, love,” he said. “I’ve been nothing but sincere in my intentions; I know your superpower tells you that.”

The waitress dropped off Emma’s ale, and Killian had her add it to his tab. As he expected, Emma wasn’t the least impressed by this. Instead, she leaned back, taking a long sip, then set it on the table and crossed her arms. “See, here’s the thing I don’t get: why me? You have to know I won’t tolerate the things that you do. I’m the Savior, and you’re a pirate.”

She wasn’t being cruel, even if it felt like she was. She had a fair point; why was he so drawn to her? She was fiery like Milah, for sure, but Milah had been a pirate in her own right. Emma? Her very nature rebelled against what he was. “Maybe that’s the appeal,” he said, sipping his own glass of rum. “Perhaps… I’ve been a pirate a long time, Emma. Perhaps it’s time for me to try something else.”

She raised an eyebrow. “You say that like it’s as easy as changing clothes. Did you really think I didn’t know what you’ve done? Did you think I’d forget it?”

That stung. He shrugged. “You seemed friendly enough with the crocodile.”

“He’s not trying to get me in bed.”

Killian almost choked on his rum. “I should hope not!”

“And I don’t actually like the guy, you know.”

“No?” They had seemed friendly enough. Killian had thought that she trusted him, as daft as that was. She’d certainly taken his side more than once.

“No. I like his kid; that’s not the same thing.”

“That’s wise, then. Baelfire is a good lad,” even if he was too quick to forgive, in Killian’s opinion.

“Funny you should say that. He told me a couple of interesting stories about you.”

Killian looked into his rum. “He would have a few to share.” There was no point in running from it; Killian was no coward.

“He told me you sold him out to Pan.”

“Aye,” Killian said quietly. “I tried to protect him at first, but it just wasn’t possible. Not in Neverland.”

Emma leaned forward. “He also told me what happened with his mom. When Gold came after her, you lied to him and tried to make him fight. A cripple against a crew of pirates - doesn’t sound like a fair fight to me.”

“He didn’t even pick up the sword,” Killian muttered, even as he knew she would not accept that. In the Enchanted Forest, a man was expected to fight, regardless of the odds. Here, placing life (and children) above honor was acceptable, even celebrated. 

“You shouldn’t have tried to make him. You only did it to be cruel,” she accused. “That’s the kind of man you are.”

“Perhaps I no longer wish to be.”

“Do you really think you can change that?”

“I plan to try.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.”

“Hm.”

He finished his rum, and she finished her ale. “Another round?” he asked her.

“No,” she said, toying with her glass, but she didn’t get up.

“Why are you here, Emma?” he asked.

“Don’t you want me here?”

“You know I do. The question is: what do you want?”

“What do you think I want?” She wasn’t usually this coy, but Killian could not complain.

“I think you want… me.”

“You?” she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Aye. You’ve no other reason to be here, love, and certainly not alone at this hour of the night. Admit it, you want me. You just need to know if you can trust me first.”

“Can I?”

Killian leaned forward. “You know you can. I haven’t lied to you, Emma, you know that. Come back to the Jolly Roger with me, I’ll show you that you have nothing to fear.”

“I wonder how many women you’ve said that to.”

“None that meant as much as you.”

“What about Milah?”

“Except Milah,” he conceded. 

“Fine,” she said, getting to her feet. “But remember, I’m armed.”

He grinned. “As if I could forget.”

XxXxXxX

He’d never had her on his ship before; it was thrilling. “You should see the view from the crow’s nest,” he said with a grin.

“You really do think you’re charming, don’t you?”

“Now, let’s not bring fathers into this.” Especially Charming himself, who had already tried to warn Killian off. Killian might actually have been concerned about that if Emma was the type to let her father make decisions for her. Fortunately, she was not.

She glared playfully. “Where’s Smee?”

“Belowdecks, if he knows what’s good for him. He has school tomorrow.” Snow White had insisted. Legally, Smee was sixteen, and apparently school in this land was not a luxury but a requirement. Hook suspected that it was mainly meant to keep the urchins off the streets for most of the day, and to line the pockets of the local sheriffs that issued ‘tickets’ if a child was found truant. 

Emma looked at the crow’s nest. “All right, then. Crow’s nest it is.”

“Careful now, it’s a tricky climb.”

“If you can do it with one hand, I’m sure I’ll manage.”

She did.

Flushed with the effort and the chill (October in Storybrooke was a fair cry from the clime of Neverland, and the crow’s nest was entirely at the mercy of the biting wind), she steadied herself against the topmast, and looked at him. “OK, maybe you were right about the view.”

He put his hand over hers and smiled. “Aye.”

“What are your plans for Gold?” she asked suddenly. _Well, isn’t that a bucket of seawater over the head?_

“Plans?”

“Yeah. Suppose I let you help us, and it comes down to a fight, us versus Zelena. If, somehow in the melee, you were the one that got a hold of the dagger, what would you do with it?”

“Give it to you, love.”

“Just like that? No revenge?”

“Aye.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not!” Not in that moment, anyway. He had meant it when he’d said it, although he couldn’t help but doubt. Three hundred years was a long time to want something. Could he give that up for her?

“Superpower, remember?” she said, shaking her head. She grabbed the rail of the crow’s nest and prepared to climb down.

“Wait!”

“No. I wanted to know if I could trust you. I can’t; that’s all I need to know.”

“I’ll swear to it,” he said.

“Swear you’re not lying? I know you are. You know you are. When you have that dagger in your hand, you’re not going to be thinking about me. You’re going to be thinking about Rumplestiltskin and what he did to you and Milah.”

“He took my happiness, aye, my hand and my love. But I have a new love; I won’t let him take that from me too.”

“I’m not your love,” she said flatly.

“I love you. Use your superpower; you know it’s true.” She let go of the railing and looked at him, startled. “See? You know I’m telling you the truth. And if what you need to give me a chance to win your heart is my oath not to harm the crocodile, you have it.”

“Do I?”

“Yes.”

“Say it, then. You say you love me - swear on my name that you are done with going after Gold. No more revenge.”

It suddenly came to mind that the crocodile himself was bound by an oath very much like this. Baelfire had made a deal with the Dark One, and as far as Killian knew, the Dark One had kept his word. Killian knew that he was not a good man, but he was at least a better man than the crocodile. “I swear on my love for you, Emma Swan, that I will not pursue my revenge against the Dark One.”

She smiled. “Thank you Captain, that’s exactly what I needed to hear.”

“What?”

Emma flicked her fingers, and Killian’s mouth suddenly began to tingle. “What the hell?” Emma twisted her fingers again, and the crow’s next was suddenly filled with green smoke. When it cleared, Emma had been replaced with a tall red-headed woman. “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m Zelena. So nice to meet you at last, Captain. Rumple’s told me all about you.”

“What have you done with Emma?” he reached for his sword, but it vanished from his hand, clattering down onto the deck below.

“Nothing. Yet. She was never here. She’s enjoying a quiet evening at the inn with her son and her parents.”

“What do you want?”

“Why, exactly what you just gave me! The opportunity to corrupt your love for the Savior - or, more specifically, your kiss.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You, in a selfish ploy to win her affection, swore an oath just now on your love for her, an oath that you don’t believe you can keep.”

“That’s a lie!”

She grinned. “No, Captain, it isn’t. The curse would have failed if you were truly sincere in your intentions.”

“What curse?”

“The curse I placed on your kiss. Now, when your lips touch the Savior’s, your kiss will steal her power away.”

“That might be concerning if she was in the habit of letting me kiss her,” he said flatly.

“Well,” the witch said, stepping closer to him. “You’re just going to have to get her in the habit. You see, Miss Swan appears intent on meddling in affairs that are none of her business. Either she will stop her meddling, or I will be forced to take… drastic measures.”

“Then why haven’t you before now? Why not kill her?” Zelena ‘s nostrils flared, and Hook recognized that look of dark frustration. “Ah. You can’t, can you? She’s protected.”

“Perhaps she is. But her family isn’t. Perhaps I’ll start with her son.” Killian didn’t have an answer for that. “Good, you’re listening. Take her power, Captain, or the boy will be the first to die. Why, if you’re prompt, I might even let you leave town with her. You can even have the boy. A perfect little family, like you never got to have with your first love. Milah, was it? Didn’t you always plan to come back for Baelfire? Here’s your second chance, and all without raising a coward’s son.”

It was an attractive offer. Killian was no hero, and he’d never claimed to be one. He was in this for Emma, and he knew that a peaceful life with her boy was exactly what Emma had feared giving up by coming back. 

But she had come back. Because she was the Savior, and that was what she did. Killian didn’t answer the witch. She seemed to take that as agreement. She smiled nastily and vanished, leaving him alone in the freezing crow’s nest.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered.

XxXxXxX

“Well, that went well,” Zelena said cheerfully. She’d decided that Rumplestiltskin should spin for her tonight.

It wasn’t the first time she’d asked, although his description of his first encounter with her mother had put her off for a time. Apparently, tonight she didn’t care. She started rubbing his shoulders in a way that made his skin crawl, in no small way because Cora had not made a habit of it, but Belle had. Zelena wasn’t Belle. She didn’t have the right to touch him like that. _Look at you. Weak. Pathetic. Nothing. Kill her. Make her bleed._

_I will._ He hoped. 

“What are you making me?” she asked, kissing the back of his neck.

“Gold,” he deadpanned.

“Don’t be coy; you know what I meant.”

“I don’t know what I’m making; you haven’t told me yet.” 

She laughed. “Surprise me,” she said.

He wished he’d had the courage to make her a golden noose. He made her a necklace instead. It was gaudy and unflattering. She loved it.

XxXxXxX

“Have you got something?” Emma asked Hook. He’d dropped by the Sherriff’s station unexpectedly. He was a pain in her ass, but if he had a lead on Zelena, she’d take it and thank him for it. 

“No,” he said. He was lying. She sat up straighter.

“Nothing?” she asked again.

He was trying to say something with his posture and his eyes. “Another uneventful night at the Rabbit Hole,” he said. He was lying, and he knew that she knew. “Where’s the lad? With the puppet?” A pointed question - she sat up straighter.

“Actually, he’s with David and Mary Margaret today.”

“Good. That’s good.” Sincerity. He was trying to tell her something, something about Henry. And he thought Zelena was watching.

“Is that why you’re here? To ask about Henry?”

“Oh, I just wanted to see your smiling face, love.” A lie. “No lesson with Regina and the fairies today?”

“Later. Regina and Elsa needed some time to cool off.” So had Emma. She was spending the morning looking at shipping manifests from the warehouses, trying to figure out where Zelena had been getting her supplies. She must have been conjuring them out of thin air (or making Gold do it), because nothing was unaccounted for.

“How is the weather witch fairing?” Another pointed question. “There have been some rumors going around.”

“What rumors?”

He shrugged. “You can imagine. Why is she in town? What can she do? Is she dark?”

“She’s not dark. And why would you care all of a sudden?”

“No reason.” Again, a lie. She stood up.

“Is there something you need to say to me?”

“Nothing specific.” A lie, this one accompanied by an expression of cautious hope - hope that she was catching on. “I was wondering, though, what are your plans after Zelena is defeated? Still planning to leave town?”

“Maybe. Why? Are you going to try to talk me into staying?”

“Perhaps. Or I could go with you.”

She cocked an eyebrow at that. “Confident, aren’t you?”

He shrugged. “It could be the best thing for everybody.” More sincerity. _He’s telling me to take Henry and get out of town. Why?_

“What happened?” she asked directly. Let Zelena see; she wasn’t going to play games with Henry’s safety.

“Nothing.” Another lie. And he wasn’t just lying; he was scared.

“Did she take your heart?” 

“No!” True.

“Did she threaten you? I swear to God, if you’re here trying to save your own ass-”

“Emma, listen! Nothing happened.” _Lie._ “Everything’s fine.” _Lie._ “There were no threats.” _Lie._ “Not against me,” _true_ , “Or anyone.” _Lie._

“What about Henry?”

“Especially not Henry.” _Lie._ And his eyes told her that this was exactly what he’d been trying to say all along. _She threatened Henry - that bitch threatened Henry!_

Her first thought was to take Henry and run. The second was to have August or Mary Margaret take him while she stayed to kick Zelena’s ass. Both options had the same problem. “What about the curse on the town line?”

“I know a way around that.” True.

“And you didn’t mention it before?”

“I only learned about it… recently.” True. 

“Last night?”

He grimaced. “Aye.” True. _It’s a trap - this is what she wants me to do._

“What is it?”

He looked torn; it wasn’t a good look for him. “Kiss me.”

“Kiss you? What happens if I kiss you?”

He finally gave up the charade. “She’ll let you leave, you and the boy.”

“And what about everyone else?”

“They weren’t mentioned.”

“What would this kiss do?”

“Take your magic,” he said regretfully. “You’d be no threat to her.”

It was more tempting than it should have been. She hated her magic. She hated being the Savior. She wanted a normal life with Henry, without Zelena or Regina, or the rest of this crap that hadn’t let up since Henry had found her in Boston.

But her parents… not to mention the rest of the town…

_I can’t risk Henry._

“Tell her I want to negotiate.”

“I can’t-”

“Negotiate?” Zelena asked appearing behind her. “And here I thought you’d ruined it,” she told Hook. “You weren’t supposed to tell her,” she scolded.

“That would have been impossible; she can detect deception,” he said. 

“Well, just for that, I rescind my offer. Miss Swan can negotiate for herself and her son, but you will not be leaving with them.”

“You agreed to that?” Emma demanded of Hook. _That bastard._

“No! She offered. In the same breath were she threatened your boy and after she tricked me. I didn’t agree to anything!” Truth.

“Well you’re just bloody useless, aren’t you?” Zelena complained dramatically. “Really, I think you can do better,” she told Emma.

“Why involve him at all? What not just come to me?”

“She needed my kiss,” he said.

“What? To take my magic away? How does that even work?”

“Because he’s selfish,” Zelena explained with glee. “You see, the dear Captain here is in love with you. He was even willing to promise to give up his revenge on Rumplestiltskin in order to win you over. Of course, he didn’t think he’d be able to follow through…”

“And what does that have to do with Henry?”

“Don’t interrupt, dear, I’m talking. You see, I was able to exploit that selfishness. Once he swore on your name, that oath he doubted he could keep, I was able to corrupt his kiss. Once he kisses you, you’ll lose your magic. Everything that makes you special-”

“Everything that makes me a threat to you, you mean.”

Zelena frowned. “You really do have a bad habit of interrupting. I’d ask if you parents ever bothered to teach you manners, but I already know the answer to that, don’t I?”

“And then your plan was, what, I just leave town with Henry and forget about everyone else?”

“It’s a better offer than most people get,” she said archly. “You can save your son, and the two of you live happily every after.”

“Until you change the timeline,” Emma said flatly. “What assurances do I have that Henry will even exist after you do whatever it is you’re going to do?”

Zelena grinned. “My, you are a clever one, aren’t you? How about this? If you don’t kiss the pirate in the next three minutes, your son will be dead in four.”

Emma had never felt the desire to kill anyone before, not even Regina. Oh, she’d wanted to stop her, of course, to remove her from Henry’s life, but this - Emma was suddenly overwhelmed with the uncontrollable urge to see Zelena dead. An overhead light exploded. Emma and Hook scrambled away from the falling glass. “What the hell?”

Zelena cackled. “My, my, you are powerful, aren’t you? So powerful you can’t even control it. Really, you’ll be doing everyone a favor if you give it up; you could hurt somebody.”

Emma knew Elsa’s story. She knew why the other woman was so cautious with her magic, and how close she’d come to losing everything. She knew Gold’s story too. He had lost everything, and even now was a literal slave to the magic he’d clung to trying to keep his son safe. “Deal,” Emma said.

Zelena cackled. “I knew it-”

“-with conditions.”

“What?” Zelena asked incredulous. “You’re in no position-”

“Aren’t I? There’s a reason you sent your flying monkey to keep an eye on me, and there’s a reason you didn’t attack me as soon as I got to town. You said it yourself: my power is a threat to you.”

“That you don’t even know how to use,” she taunted.

“Not true. Gold didn’t have the chance to teach me a lot, but he did teach me this - if I have a deep-seated desire to blow this place sky high with you inside it, I can make that happen.” And God help her, she did have that desire.

“And yourself with it!”

“If that’s what it takes to keep Henry safe. Never underestimate someone who is protecting their child.”

Zelena’s stare was just a hairsbreadth away from completely unhinged. “And just what conditions did you have in mind?”

“I’ll give up my magic, but I am not leaving town. Henry goes, and you let Mary Margaret leave with him.”

Zelena laughed. “No. But I’ll tell you what: you can have the puppet. He’s of no use to me.”

_So she is after Mary Margaret’s baby._

“David,” Emma countered. 

“No love for the puppet?” Zelena mocked.

“He’s not a fighter.”

“Well, the prince is out of the question, and you can’t have the pirate either. Oh, I know - the outlaw! He can even take his little boy with him. Regina will be _so_ disappointed.”

Emma could not comprehend the depths of this woman. For a schoolgirl grudge, she was delighting in threatening people and tearing families apart. “Robin doesn’t know anything about this world.”

“Not my problem. It’s the outlaw or no one, and your three minutes are up.” She raised her hand, and green smoke began to swirl around her. 

“No!”

“Emma, don’t-” Hook objected, but the one thing Emma would not risk was Henry’s life. She grabbed Hook by his coat and kissed him. Emma would have expected losing her magic to hurt, but it didn’t; she felt a brief tingle all over her body, and then nothing.

Zelena laughed and clapped her hands like a child. “And I thought Rumple was the only one to be subdued so easily! Tell me, does all measure of reason flee when you have a child?” 

Emma glared at Zelena. “That’s how you got the dagger, isn’t it? You threatened Bae.”

“Now, now, that would be telling. Speaking of, do enjoy your chance to explain to your parents and everyone else in this town how you can no longer save them. Ta!”

And she vanished. Emma immediately took out her phone. “Swan?” Hook asked, but she waved him off.

“Mom?” Henry answered.

“Yeah, kid. How are you doing? Having fun with David and Mary Margaret?”

“Um… yeah, I guess. Are you coming back early?” 

Emma started walking, “Yeah. You up for an early lunch?”

“Yeah.”

“Sounds good. Hey, can you put Mary Margaret on for a minute?”

“Um, sure.”

“Thanks, kid - see you in a few!”

“Yeah, Mom, see you then.”

“Emma?” Mary Margaret asked, “Something wrong?”

“Don’t let on, but yeah. Zelena was just here and… get the Council together. We need to talk. And keep an eye out; I’ll be right there.”

“OK,” Mary Margaret said, worried. “Are you OK?”

“Yeah. Yeah, but this changes things. I’ll me there in a minute to pick up Henry.”

“OK. See you then, Emma.”

“Yeah.” She hung up.

Hook was following her. “Look, Swan, I know this is my fault-”

She spun around to face him. “You’re damn right this is your fault! If you had just left that damn dagger alone, none of this would have happened! Just stay the hell away from me!” 

“You need my help-”

“Like hell I do! You’ve done nothing so far except try to get in my pants and screw over innocent people trying to get your revenge! You don’t give a damn about anybody but yourself, and now we might all die because of it! Stay. Away. From me!”

She didn’t trust his expression of guilt one bit, but… She froze. She had no idea if he was being sincere or not. “Hell…”

“What?” he asked, unsure.

“Tell me two truths and a lie. Quickly.”

“I… oh…” he said catching on. “I served in the Royal Navy. There’s a phone in my cabin that I don’t know how to operate. And I love you.”

She rolled her eyes, hiding the panic creeping up on her. “The Navy - that’s the lie,” she guessed.

He shook his head. “No. They were all true.”

“… then I guess that kiss did what Zelena said it would.” She began walking again.

“Emma, wait-”

She spun back around, practically spitting in his face. “No! You want to help? Stay the hell out of my way!”

That stopped him. He stood there, staring at her back as she stormed down the stairs and out the door. If he knew what was good for him, he’d be gone before Regina found out the danger he’d put Henry in.


	25. Answers in the Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: psychological manipulation/torture, rape

“You can’t be serious,” Regina said, incredulous.

“She threatened Henry,” Miss Swan objected, “I had no choice.”

“So your magic is just gone? How can she even do that?”

“I don’t know, but she did it. I tried my superpower on Hook; even that’s gone.”

Regina looked at Elsa. “I guess it’s down to you, me, and the fairies then, snowy.”

“There’s more,” Emma said.

“More?”

“I tried to negotiate for Henry’s safety-”

“And clearly you did an excellent job.”

“Shut it, Queenie,” the dwarf said, “Let her finish.”

Regina grit her teeth, but let the Savior - ex-Savor - continue. “She agreed to let him leave town, with a chaperone.”

“A chaperone?”

“She tried to get me to leave with him, but I knew that wouldn’t work. I have to stay; even without my magic, I need to find some way to defeat her. But I wanted Henry out of the line of fire.”

“Good thinking, Emma,” Charming said. Regina sneered.

“So who then? The puppet? He can take him to Atlantic City, take in a show…”

“Robin,” Miss Swan said.

“Me?” Robin asked.

“Him?” Regina repeated.

“She offered August, but I tried to negotiate for Mary Margaret or David instead; she wouldn’t go for it.”

“Of course not,” Mary Margaret said, rubbing her belly, “She needs my baby.”

“And David’s courage, I think so. She’s the one who suggested Robin, I think just to hurt you,” Emma said to Regina.

“Hurt me? How-”

“We all know you’re dating,” the dwarf said, “Don’t bother lying about it.”

“It really does all come back to you,” Emma said. “It’s about ruining your happiness.”

Regina looked at Robin. She didn’t want him to go. She didn’t want Henry to go. But they were both safer away from her sister, in a land without magic. “What about Roland?” she asked.

“She included Roland in the deal.”

“You have to go, then,” Regina told Robin.

“Not so fast,” Emma said. “She never formally agreed.”

“What to you mean?”

“She got inpatient. She was going after Henry, and I was out of time. I kissed Hook-”

“What?” Regina asked, incredulous.

“Yeah, what?” the dwarf repeated.

Miss Swan glared. “That’s how she delivered the… curse, or whatever it was. Anyway, I don’t know if she’ll hold up her end.” 

Regina tossed up her hands. “So it could all be a trick. You gave up your magic, willingly, and for nothing!”

“She did let something else slip.”

“What?”

“She threatened Bae to get Gold to cooperate; that’s how she got the dagger in the first place.”

“Lovely. Another piece of information that tells us absolutely nothing. It doesn’t matter how she got the dagger; she has it now.”

“It does matter,” David said. “It mean we have to keep Bae safe; if Zelena gets her hands on him, it might not matter that we manage steal the dagger back.”

“That’s true,” Baelfire admitted. “Remember what happened with Cora. He can’t always think clearly when we’re in danger.” He and the librarian exchanged glances.

“Apparently, it’s going around,” Regina deadpanned.

“You would have done the same thing,” Miss Swan objected. “At least I hope so.”

“ _I_ wouldn’t have let it get that far. If you had learned how to use your magic properly-”

“Stop!” the pink fairy barked. She was getting pushy with this whole referee business. “Fighting won’t help.”

“Yeah,” the dwarf agreed, taking her hand. The two of them were getting as bad as Snow and Charming. “So we’re down a magic user. So what? We’ve still got more than she has, and you gotta know that Gold will destroy her as soon as we get that dagger back.”

“ _If_ we can get it back.”

“Hey, I’m trying to be optimistic here; you could try it.”

“Optimism is not what we need! What we need is a way to defeat my sister!”

“We’re open to suggestions if you’ve got any.”

“We need more information on her,” Regina said, beginning to pace. An idea was starting to click in her head.

“There’s nothing left in Rumple’s journals; he took everything,” the librarian said.

“And Blue won’t help,” Mary Margaret added. “I tried again, after Emma and August spoke to her. She wouldn’t tell me anything.” Charming rubbed her shoulder comfortingly, as if Reul Ghorm being a treacherous insect was anything new.

“No,” Regina said, looking at Swan. “You said it yourself; it’s not about Rumple, and it’s not about the blue bug; this is about me. My family. It’s not Rumple we need to talk to. It’s my mother.”

The blond raised an eyebrow. “Won’t that be kind of hard? Cora’s dead.”

“Yes, she is,” Regina said flatly, “But it just so happens that I know a ritual that will allow us to talk to her. It’s simple, but not often performed.”

“Wait, if it’s that easy to talk to the dead, why not do it more?” Swan asked.

“Because to do it, you need two things: the murder weapon, and the murderer.” Regina looked at Baelfire. The arrow he’d shot into the back of her mother’s skull was enchanted; there was no chance in hell that Rumple hadn’t kept it.

“It wasn’t murder,” the librarian objected, “He saved Grace’s life, and the rest of us as well.”

Regina sighed. “This is magic, not the people’s court; legal distinctions don’t matter. He killed her; it counts.”

“What’s involved in this ritual?” the kid asked. He, at least, wasn’t puffed up with righteous indignation.

“There’s a tea I have to brew; it summons the Dark Vortex. And, if my mother cooperates, we can talk to her through it.”

“Because Cora was always so cooperative,” Charming complained.

“Don’t try to be snarky,” Regina said, “You’re not very good at it.”

“Do you honestly think this will work?” Baelfire asked.

“It’s the best idea I’ve got.”

“How can we trust you?” the librarian asked, looking at the Savior.

“Well, since Swan decided to give up all her magic, including her little superpower, you’re going to have to make a decision, aren’t you?”

“It’s OK, Belle,” Baelfire said. “She has as much to lose as the rest of us.” He looked at her and nodded. “Let’s do it.”

XxXxXxX

Regina said that her house was the best place to hold the ritual, apparently because Cora had spent time there in life. Bae and Belle made a small detour to the shop to retrieve the magic bow (and arrows - Regina was specific about that), and arrived just behind everyone else.

Bae would have been found the décor of Regina’s home unsettling if he hadn’t already seen the inside of the Mayor’s office before Mary Margaret had started redecorating. It was pretty much the same - black and white, with accents of red and a motif of bare branches. Though no less opulent, Bae vastly preferred the inside of his father’s house. At least it wasn’t so ‘matchy-matchy’, to use August’s phrasing. Bae wondered what it had been like for Henry to grow up in such a cold place.

“In here,” Regina said, impatiently herding them into a study that actually looked more like it belonged in the pink Victorian. Bae wondered if it was something about the magic; maybe you couldn’t perform a ritual in too sterile a space.

“Take a seat.” They gathered around a circular table. Regina had asked only a small group to join them: David and Mary Margaret, Emma (who would have refused to stay behind anyway), and Bae and Belle. When Leroy had objected, Regina had pointed out that Cora was more likely to be cooperative if she wasn’t ‘being gawked at like a circus attraction’.

Regina placed small, metal cups in front of each of them, scolding David when he tried to drink his. “That’s a deadly poison, Charming. Besides, we need it to summon the vortex.” Then she turned to Bae. “I don’t suppose you have any idea which arrow was the one that pierced my mother’s skull?”

Bae shook his head. “No.”

“I need the entire quiver, then.” She held out a hand, and he hesitated just a moment before handing it over. She pulled out the arrows one by one, pricking her finger on each tip. When she got to the forth one, the drop of blood she spilled turned black. “It’s this one.” She placed the arrow, still tainted with blood, on a tall, black pedestal, then extended her hands to Mary Margaret and Bae. “Everyone hold hands.”

“Really? That’s not just a thing cheesy psychics do?” Emma asked.

“Yes, really. Sometimes, real magic does find it’s way to this world; you know that. Apparently, parts of actual rituals sometimes do as well.”

They joined hands. “Now what?” Emma asked.

“Focus on Cora,” Regina said.

“Do those thoughts need to be positive?” Emma asked. Bae wondered that as well.

“No, just strong,” Regina replied, shoulders tense.

“I don’t think that should be a problem with this group,” Emma said.

“Shh,” Regina scolded. “Focus.”

Bae watched the black blood drop glisten in the low light. He felt the tension in the room build until the windows started to rattle, and a cold wind began to swirl around the space. Regina looked up, and Bae followed her eyes, watching as a blue vortex opened up above the table.

“Cora? Mother, can you hear us?” Cora did not answer. “Don’t ignore me now, Mother, you owe me this!” The wind picked up, but still Cora did not answer. “Mother!”

A gust of wind rattled the arrow on its pedestal, and Mary Margaret shrieked, abruptly letting go of Regina and David’s hands. With the circle broken, the magic could not maintain itself, and the vortex collapsed. 

“Sorry! Sorry,” Mary Margaret said. “Something startled me. Can we try again?” she asked Regina.

Regina sighed. “No. There’s no point. It worked, the portal opened, but nothing came from it. She doesn’t want to talk to me. I guess whatever secrets lie in her past, she wants to keep buried there.”

Bae looked at Belle. “That’s not good enough,” Belle said. “We need this information.”

“And what do you propose we do, bookworm? She’d dead; there’s nothing we can do to make her talk. Not like she could ever be strong-armed in life either,” Regina added, muttering.

“Then what now?” Emma asked.

“Now we need a new plan” Regina replied matter-of-factly. “Any ideas?”

No one had any.

XxXxXxX

“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to let me look at your books?” Belle asked Regina. “It’s the only collection in town I haven’t been through yet-”

“I may not go through books like the pirate goes through rum, but I do know how to read,” Regina snapped. “My books don’t have anything.”

“Maybe you should let her have a look,” Mary Margaret prodded.

Regina glared at her. “I’m telling you, there’s nothing there.”

Mary Margaret regarded her for a moment, then turned to Belle and Bae. “Thank you both. Perhaps it would be best if you went home and got some rest. I’ll stay here with Regina and help clean up.”

“I don’t recall inviting you to do that,” Regina said, but Belle could see that she was, in some small way, touched by the offer.

“Fine,” Bae said flatly. He’d cleaned the arrows and returned them all to the quiver. It was currently slung across his back, the bow with it.

“Remember that we do still have one advantage,” Mary Margaret said. “Zelena still doesn’t have Regina’s heart or David’s courage.”

“Yeah,” Bae said quietly. “Good night, Mary Margaret. David. Emma.”

“Good night, kid,” Emma replied.

Belle bid them all good night as well. For months, she had worried endlessly about Rumple, about where he was. After learning about Zelena, she worried what she was doing to him. With today’s events, she couldn’t help but conjure up a dozen different scenarios, all of them horrible.

_Hang on, Rumple, please. We will find a way to save you, I swear._

She and Bae turned to go. Belle’s hand was on the front door when windows began to rattle, and they all heard a loud creaking that was all too familiar. _A spinning wheel - Rumple? It can’t be._

It was Cora.

Her ghostly form, accompanied by an equally ghostly spinning wheel, was shimmering in the middle of one of Regina’s empty rooms. She turned and glared at them. “Mother?” Regina said. “This can’t be. The portal was limited, it was only for speaking…” 

“Well, obviously she found a way,” Emma said, her hand on her gun. Cora rose up into the air.

“And what are you intending to do with that?” Regina said as Emma drew her weapon. “She’s already dead!”

“She’s here for me,” Bae said, resolute. He’d also drawn his bow.

“That’s not going to-”

Cora rushed at Baelfire, and Regina threw herself in front of him. Cora stopped short, fixing her daughter with a silent, baleful stare. “Back off, Mother,” Regina growled. “You will answer my questions. What did you do to Zelena?”

Belle grabbed Bae’s arm and tried to pull him away. After everything, she was not going to allow anything to happen to him. “Bae…”

“I survived Pan, do you think I’m afraid of you?” Bae shouted at Cora. The ghost sneered and backhanded her daughter into a wall. Bae turned and ran, quickly outpacing Belle ( _damn these shoes!_ ). He was down the stairs and out of sight, Emma and David fast on his heels, before Cora managed to catch him. They slammed the door of Regina’s summoning room behind them, but she merely regarded it a moment before passing right through the wall. 

“Bae!” Belle cried, scrambling down the stairs and yanking the hidden door open. Regina was standing in front of her mother, her hands raised, entrapping the spirit in an aura of purple light. 

“I don’t know how much longer I can hold her off,” she said. “Get out of here; maybe you can make it to Gold’s before she catches you.”

“I’ll never make it,” Bae said. “You know that.”

“Well, if someone hadn’t given up her magic, she’d be able to help you-”

“Really, you want to argue about that now?” Emma said, her gun trained on Cora.

“Cora!” Belle shouted. She didn’t have magic or even a gun, but at the very least, she could help keep her distracted. “Leave him alone!”

“She won’t listen,” Regina said, grunting with the effort of keeping her mother pinned. “She only understands power and weakness.”

“Like mother, like daughter,” Emma said. At Regina’s glare she said, “I meant Zelena!”

At the mention of her other daughter’s name, Cora thrashed, breaking free of Regina spell and tossing her to the ground. Before Belle could react, Cora dove directly into Baelfire, and he dropped to the floor next to Regina.

“Bae!” 

Belle stumbled over to him, as he writhed and shimmered with the same blue light that Cora’s spirit appeared to be made of. When she touched him, her hands tingled unpleasantly, but she refused to let go. “Baelfire! Can you hear me?”

“Move!” Regina barked, picking herself up.

“No!”

“You want her out of there? Move, so I can do it.” Belle stared at her. Regina was asking her to trust her with Baelfire’s life. There had been a time when that would have been unthinkable, but Belle just didn’t know anymore. Mary Margaret now trusted her stepmother completely, and she had more reason than anyone not to. “Move!” Regina repeated, resolute.

Belle had no choice, not if she wanted to save Bae. She took a step back, a knot in her belly, praying that Regina wouldn’t take this opportunity to avenge herself on Rumple. Jaw clenched, Regina raised her hands, and another aura of purple magic flowed from her fingertips into Baelfire. It grabbed Cora’s spirit and wrenched it loose. Her entire body shaking, Regina drove her mother up towards the ceiling and summoned the vortex once more, forcing her through it.

The supernatural wind that had accompanied the ghost died instantly, and Belle immediately knelt next to Baelfire. “Bae? Bae, can you hear me?” she asked, brushing his sweat-soaked bangs away from his face.

“Belle?” he asked weakly.

She smiled. “Yes, darling, how are you feeling?”

He struggled to sit up. “Fucking magic,” he muttered, and the others started crowding around.

“You OK, kid?” 

“Emma? Yeah, yeah, she… I don’t think that was an attack. I think… she was answering the question.”

“What do you mean?” Regina asked.

“She showed me; she showed me what happened with Zelena. She was…” Bae looked at Mary Margaret. “I don’t know if it’s true,” he said.

“What do you mean?” Mary Margaret asked.

“What she showed me… she was engaged to your father before he married your mother. Cora was pregnant by another man and your father didn’t know, but your mother found out. She told him, and Cora was run out of the palace. That’s why she gave Zelena up.”

“That… that can’t be. My mother would never do anything like that.”

“People change,” Regina said flatly. “Some people go bad. Others… maybe she wanted better for you.”

Belle and Bae shared a look. “Well,” Emma said, “If this is true, we have our answer.”

David nodded. “She’s going back in time… to kill your mother,” he said to his wife, taking her hand.

“Which would mean that I would never be born,” Mary Margaret said. “And neither would Emma.”

“Or Henry,” Regina said. She looked at Emma, who nodded slightly. Belle’s doubts about Regina crumbled. It seemed she truly had followed Rumple’s example, and conquered her own darkness.

“Or you,” Bae added, rubbing his head. “Probably, anyway. I do kind of wonder what Cora was planning to do when Leopold figured out that the math didn’t add up.”

“Let’s not find out,” Emma said. “Your heart’s in a safe place, right?” she asked Regina.

“Of course it is,” Regina replied, crossing her arms.

“What about David’s courage?”

“That’s a good question. It can’t be removed, not like my heart.”

“Then how was Zelena planning to get it?”

“Let me rephrase; it’s not a limited resource. I could find a way to remove a representation of Charming’s courage, but it wouldn’t leave him a coward. And if it did, what I had removed would crumble, like crushing a heart. The seat of courage, of most things really, can’t actually be removed from a person like a heart can.”

“Why are hearts special?” Emma asked.

“Because some evil person decided they should be and created a branch of magic in order to do it. Probably one of the Dark Ones,” Regina said wryly.

Bae struggled to his feet. “So basically David just has to stay out of Zelena’s way,” he said.

“Easier said than done,” David muttered. Mary Margaret squeezed his hand fondly, her other hand resting on her round belly.

“We’ll get through this,” she said, “We always do.”

“Yeah,” Emma said tightly. “You look pretty wiped out, kid, do you need a ride?” she asked Bae. “Should we call Whale?”

“Not Whale,” he said, shaking his head, “I’ll take that ride, though.”

“The best place for David is behind the blood wards on the loft, right? I think we’re done for the night,” Emma said.

Regina nodded. “The loft is good. Yes, I think we’re done for now.”

“Thank you, Regina,” Belle said, grudgingly. “For saving Bae.”

She waved dismissively. “Rumple will owe me one.”

“Oh, he’ll hate that,” Emma said, trying to lighten the mood.

Regina smiled slightly. “Then I supposed it was worth it.”

XxXxXxX

Rumplestiltskin hated Zelena’s bed. It was worse than the cage. At least in the cage, she didn’t usually join him.

She was currently cuddled against his chest, basking in what he was sure she genuinely perceived as afterglow. They were both naked, and there was no escaping the revolting feeling of her body pressed against his or her breath tickling his cheek. “We’re so close, Rumple,” she said. “Soon, everything will change.”

Zelena had been gloating all evening that her plan to block Emma’s magic had succeeded. If Rumplestiltskin had had any optimism left in him at all, he’d have noted that the villain always thought they had won right before they lost, but he didn’t. His last bit of hope had died with the Savior’s powers. All he had left now was anger, helplessness, and despair. 

He didn’t say anything, so Zelena filled the silence. “I should have taken you with me. You should have seen the pirate’s face; I think you would have enjoyed that. He really thinks he loves her.”

“Poor Emma,” he deadpanned. Zelena laughed and started toying with his hair.

“But don’t worry, darling, I have a job for you tomorrow. A chance to stretch your legs, be the Dark One for a little while.”

He closed his eyes. _Please, not Bae. Not Belle. They have two weeks left; let them have them._ “Oh?”

“Mm.” She nodded, pulling closer to him. “It’s a surprise, though. Get some sleep; tomorrow’s a big day.”

She wasn’t holding the dagger, but the command was clear. He imagined his consciousness as an animal scrabbling at the slimy walls of an old well while his curse pulled it under. He slept.


	26. Rallying Cry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: psychological manipulation/torture, rape

Henry had known that there was something off about this town. Mom was seriously messed up over this case, and there was obviously something huge that her friends were all covering up (and how weird was it that Mom had friends from before Henry was born that she had never mentioned until now?). But this? Henry thought he must be going crazy.

“Let him go!” Mom shouted at a red-haired woman. Mr. Gold, the man Mom had been looking for, was standing next to the woman. She had a weird dagger in her hand, and she was waving it around like a magic wand. Mr. Gold had his hand raised up in the air, and Henry couldn’t move.

At all. It wasn’t that he was too scared to move, he literally couldn’t. The woman had told Mr. Gold to ‘hold him’, but instead of grabbing Henry with his arms, it was like he was using the Force, or some kind of magic. “I can’t move!” Henry cried. _Is this a dream? It has to be a dream. Wake up!_

“Hold tight, kid,” Mom said. She reached for her gun, but the woman waved her hand, and it disappeared in a puff of dark green smoke. 

“Tut, tut,” she said. “That’s hardly polite.”

“Let him go!” she shouted again.

“Certainly. As soon as my dear sister hands over her heart.”

“Zelena!” Henry couldn’t turn his head to see, but he recognized Ms. Mill’s voice. He didn’t know what was up with Ms. Mills and his Mom, but he knew that she was helping on the case and used to be the Mayor. And she liked him. Too much. She’d actually been creeping him out with the way she had tried to follow him around.

“Regina! How lovely to see you. I trust you heard? Your heart for the boy, it’s a simple as that.”

“And if I say no?”

“Then the Dark One kills him. You have three minutes.”

Out of nowhere, a huge fireball flew past Henry straight at this Zelena person. _What?_ She stumbled back, laughing as she put up some kind of force field. Mr. Gold did not move at all. “Gold, stop!” Mom shouted. “Fight her!”

“I can’t. I don’t want to do this,” he said. “I really don’t. But I don’t control it; she does.”

“Gold!”

“Rumple!” Belle, Mr. Gold’s girlfriend, came running out of the library, ignoring everything as she tried to reach him. Zelena flicked her fingers, the air shimmered, and Belle was thrown back.

“Stay out of this,” Zelena said, annoyed, “It’s none of your concern.”

Mr. Gold gasped when Belle hit the ground, but he didn’t move or say anything else. It was like he was frozen too. What is going on? Belle pushed herself up. “Rumple!”

“One minute, Regina,” Zelena taunted. “Tick tock.”

“I’m going to kill you, Zelena,” Ms. Mills said. Henry could now see her out of the corner of his eye. He still couldn’t turn his head, and he was starting to panic. _Wake up! This is just a nightmare! Wake up!_

Zelena laughed. “Not today, sis. Thirty seconds. Your heart or your son, what will it be? I remind you that even the Savior gave up her chance to be a hero to save the boy, so I don’t think anyone here will hold it against you.”

“Do it, Regina!” Mom said. Ms. Mills looked at her.

Zelena grinned, evil and villainous. “Time’s up. Rumple?” And suddenly Henry couldn’t breathe.

Mr. Gold looked like he might cry as Belle shouted, “Rumple, fight her!” and then everyone was shouting.

“Regina!”

“Fine, you can have it!”

Regina marched towards Zelena, a box suddenly in her hand. Zelena nodded at Mr. Gold and waved the dagger, and then Henry could breathe. But he still couldn’t move. Zelena took the box from Regina and opened it, pulling out a blackened… thing that also glowed red. She grinned, admiring it like some kind of sicko. “My, my. It is rather battered, isn’t it? But I guess that’s the point.”

“Let him, go, Zelena, I held up my end,” Regina said.

Still staring at the ‘heart’, Zelena waved the dagger again. Mr. Gold dropped his hand, and Henry fell to his knees. “Henry!” Mom called, running over to him.

“Lovely doing business with you,” Zelena said. “Come along, Rumple dear,” and Henry looked up just in time to see them both vanish like magicians.

“What the hell was that?” he gasped, looking at his Mom. “What is going on?”

Ms. Mills ran over to them, as Mom tried to explain. “That was… that was magic, Henry.”

“Magic? Are you serious? What kind of town is this?” Yes, this town was strange, but magic? There had to be some sort of explanation. Drugs and mirrors, or maybe he was really was dreaming after all. Magic wasn’t real.

“Yeah, kid,” Mom said. “I know it’s hard to believe…”

“It’s impossible, you mean! Magic isn’t real!” Henry stood up, backing away quickly. “You know what’s going on here, and you won’t tell me! Why?”

“Because you wouldn’t have believed it,” Mom said. “You don’t believe it now, even after seeing it. Henry, I’m so sorry, I never should have brought you back-”

“Back where? What are you talking about!?” Henry was getting really freaked out. Magic wasn’t real, why was his Mom saying it was?

“Henry, calm down,” Ms. Mills said, her hands raised and open.

“No! Not until someone tells me what’s going on!”

“Emma did. You just don’t believe it because you’re cursed-”

“Cursed? So now I’m cursed? What is going on? None of this makes sense!” Henry was having trouble breathing again.

“Henry? Henry!” 

“What’s the matter?” Belle asked.

“I think he’s having a panic attack!” Mom said.

“Hold him,” Ms. Mills said.

“What?”

“Hold him. The curse he’s under cannot reconcile this new information. I have to put him to sleep and remove this memory-”

“What? No!”

“Don’t!” Henry gasped. “Whatever you’re doing, don’t!”

“She may be right,” Belle told Mom.

“No! I am not letting her use magic on Henry!”

“There’s no such thing as magic!” Henry shouted.

A crowd had gathered. Bae pushed through it, telling everyone to back up. “It’s like with Graham,” Regina said to Mom. “Memories are breaking through, but he can’t process them-”

“You weren’t able to stop Graham’s memories!”

“Because I didn’t have magic then. I can save him, let me!”

“No magic!”

“Hey!” Bae shouted, and they stopped fighting to look at him. He looked at Henry. “Henry, are you with me?”

“What is going on?” Henry pleaded, “Why is everyone talking about magic? Magic isn’t real!”

Bae explained, “Zelena was just here, and she’s screwing with everyone’s heads-”

“Like drugs? Was that what that smoke was?” It didn’t make sense, but it made a hell of a lot more sense than freaking _magic._

“Sure,” Bae said. “I don’t know how it all works, but it could be drugs. Why don’t you come sit in the library with me, while Regina and Emma figure it out, OK?”

That sounded like a good plan. The library was nice. It was normal. And it made sense. Henry nodded, still not quite able to catch his breath. _What did Mr. Gold do to me? Drugs? He looked like he was on drugs. What is going on?_ Bae made the crowd move out of the way while they walked into the library. Belle watched them in concern, but didn’t follow them. Anna and Nova (a strange name - her parents must have been hippies or something) were standing by the door.

“Go help Belle,” Bae told them. “Henry just needs a minute.”

“You’re sure?” Anna asked. “What if Zelena comes back? She’s a witch you know, she could-”

“Out!” Bae snapped. “Henry needs to sit somewhere quiet. Go help Belle.”

“Quiet? I can be- oh. Oh! _Quiet._ I get it. Come on, Nova.”

“Oh… OK.” 

Bae let Henry inside, and Henry immediately collapsed into one of the stuffed chars by the big map.

“Bae, what is going on? Was that you father? What did he do to me?”

“It’s hard to explain. Look, why don’t you read a book for a little while, get your mind off it?”

“A book? You can’t be serious!” Although something suddenly said that he should. 

“Yeah, a…” Bae trailed off, staring at a large leather-bound book on a study table. “A book,” he said. “This book.”

“What book?” 

As Bae walked over to grab it, Mom came stumbling through the door. “Henry, get up, we’re getting out of here.”

“What?”

“We’re going back to the inn, packing up, and going back to New York.”

“No! There’s something wrong here! And what about the case? What about Bae’s Dad?”

Emma looked at Bae, guilty. “It’s not safe here for you-”

“Emma,” Bae said quietly, picking up the book and showing her the cover. “It’s time.”

Mom stared at it like she was afraid. “No,” she said. “No more magic…”

“There’s no such thing!” Henry protested. But he wasn’t sure he believed that as much as he had a moment ago.

“Emma, this is the answer. It appeared on the table just now; it’s how be believes,” Bae said.

“How do you know that? Zelena could have dropped that thing off!”

“You know that’s not true. You’re just making excuses.”

“I am not…” She looked over at Henry.

“Mom, what is going on? I know that you know. Something is wrong; you have to tell me what it is!”

Mom took a deep breath. “Yeah. Yeah, OK. Something is wrong. You need to know the truth.” She held out her hand, and Bae walked over with the book.

“You know this is the right thing,” he said. “I’ve been through this.”

“Yeah, well I don’t recall you taking it so well at the time.”

“I’m better now. And he won’t be remembering what I did.”

“He saw Greg get…”

“That was Hook, it wasn’t you or Regina. Trust me, that matters.”

She took the book and sighed. “Fine.”

“Mom?” Henry asked, suddenly feeling a lot younger than he was.

“I’m here kid. This is what you need.” She walked over and sat in the other chair, the book in her lap. She turned it around to show him the cover. “This was yours. Is yours.”

“Fairy tales? That’s not mine; I’ve never seen it before.”

“Yeah, you have. Look.” She opened it. It looked really old, but the drawings in it couldn’t be; they were of people he knew. David and Mary Margaret. Leroy and Nova. Even a kid Henry’s age that looked like Bae.

“Mom, what is this?”

“It’s a history of everyone in this town. And me. Which makes it your history too.”

“Mom, this is fairy tales! This one says that David and Mary Margaret are Snow White and Prince Charming! Is this a joke? Did August make this?” But the illustrations looked nothing like August’s ink drawings, or Bae’s colored pencils. There was something about them. Something… familiar.

“It’s not a joke kid. Here, take it.” She pushed it towards him. He was looking at a picture of Mary Margaret, pregnant like she was now, but in a flowing dress and with long hair. David was behind her, dressed like a prince, and they were standing in a fairytale castle.

He reached out and touched the drawing. Everything came back in a rush. “Henry?” Mom - Emma - no, she was Mom now, just as much as Regina was - asked.

Henry got up, gathering the Book in his arms. “Mom,” he said.

Emma stood and grabbed his shoulder. “Yeah, I’m here, kid.”

“No, I mean… Regina. My other Mom. And David and Mary Margaret.” She followed as he stared running, throwing open the door. “Mom!”

She looked at him. “Henry?”

“I remember,” he said. She ran to him, David and Mary Margaret following with huge grins on their faces.

Henry ran to her, and they met in the middle of the street. “Henry,” she said tearfully, hugging him and putting her hands on his cheeks. “I will never let you go away again. I promise. I love you.” She kissed his forehead. He felt a rush of love, and a ripple of gold light shot out through the air. Henry recognized it. “Was that..?”

“True Love’s Kiss,” Mary Margaret said, awed. “Regina, you just broke the curse.”

“I… I remember.” She and Mary Margaret exchanged a look.

“You remember?” Emma asked. 

“Yes,” Mary Margaret said. “Everything. Zelena didn’t cast the curse.”

“Then who did?”

She looked at David. “I did.”

XxXxXxX

When the wave of True Love swept through the farmhouse, Zelena only laughed. “Bit late for that, wasn’t it?”

Rumplestiltskin had to agree. Everything they remembered about defeating Zelena had either already been rediscovered or was now irrelevant. They would remember Glinda’s prophecy, but also that Elsa’s magic was contaminated and why. Emma’s magic was gone. Zelena had the brain and the heart she needed. They had already figured out that she was after Charming’s courage and Snow’s baby. Nothing had changed.

There had been a time when True Love’s kiss heralded a happy ending to a tale, but that wasn’t the case anymore, and they would remember that too. He wondered what the Truest Believer would make of it. 

But, ultimately, it didn’t matter. Zelena was a step closer to her goal, and the heroes were no closer to theirs.

_I’m sorry, Bae, Belle. I’m so sorry._

XxXxXxX

“So what do you remember about Zelena?” Emma asked. As it was no longer necessary for Henry to have a babysitter, the entire Council and anyone else who might be able to help was there, even Hook (no one wanted to work with him, but they needed information, and he’d had more direct contact with Zelena than most). The loft was crowded, but no one wanted to risk Zelena’s surveillance.

“That the blue bug was right,” Regina said. “Glinda’s prophecy says that only a practitioner of the most powerful light magic can defeat Zelena. Your parents cast the curse because you were our last hope, and now your powers are gone. We really are as screwed as we think.”

“What about Elsa?”

“My powers were contaminated by the curse of the Dark One,” she said quietly. 

“What? How did that happen?”

“Uh, maybe we should start at the beginning?” August said, “A lot happened.” Emma looked at him expectantly.

“Good idea.”

August had expected Regina to start, but she only started at him and started pacing. “Me?” he asked.

“You’re exposition guy,” Henry said cheekily.

“You and Rumple, and he’s not here,” Regina said. “And don’t tell me you don’t know everyone’s business.” Well, that was more true than it really ought to be.

“You can start,” Jiminy said, “We’ll chime in if there’s something to add.”

August took a deep breath. “OK, sure.” He started with the ogres, but Regina rolled her eyes and told him to ‘get to the point’. He jumped to Zelena’s first appearance, with some help from Bae and Belle on the Malcolm thing. He skimmed over Rumplestiltskin’s memory loss, jumping onto Elsa and her deal with Gold. Regina interrupted with the search for the Apprentice and Maleficent’s disappearance, and then Anna gave a rambling account of the day Zelena resurrected the curse of the Dark One and kidnapped Gold. Belle bit her lip and hugged herself when they got to that part.

David explained about Blue’s visit and the manacles, and then Mary Margaret, shamefaced, explained about the curse. “It was the only way,” she said. “It was the only way to get to Emma.”

“Most of use aren’t complaining,” Leroy said, “But a heads up would have been nice.”

“You would have tried to talk us out of it. We didn’t know until the last moment that David could be saved.”

“It’s all right,” August said. “It worked out.” Their time back in the Enchanted Forest hadn’t been all bad, but Earth was better. A lot better. All they needed was to get rid of the Wicked Witch and break the curse on the town line, and things would be peachy. 

“Except for the fact that the Savior lost her powers, and now there’s no one left in any world who can defeat Zelena,” Regina said.

“That’s not true,” Henry said. Everyone looked at him. “You can. You can defeat her.”

“Henry…”

“Her record’s not that great so far,” Leroy said. Nova gave him a scolding look, but even she knew he had a point; he was just the first person to say it.

“Because she was using dark magic,” Henry said.

“My magic is dark,” she said, “That’s why I can’t defeat her.”

“You used True Love’s Kiss,” Henry said. “You broke the curse. You can use light magic if you want to.”

Regina shook her head. “I’ve been too dark for too long. One touch of the curse of the Dark One was enough to contaminate Elsa’s magic. My life has been substantially darker than that.”

“But isn’t that was the Blue Fairy said; only Elsa can fix what’s wrong with her powers? That’s basically admitting that she can reverse it. It can be done!”

Nova looked thoughtful. “I think he’s right. Do you remember when Hook was injured? You said that you couldn’t heal him because healing is light magic…”

“Exactly!” Regina said.

“…but that Rumplestiltskin could. He studied light magic, and he could cast it. If the Dark One can do that, surely a mortal can?”

“Yes!” Belle said. “Rumple also experienced True Love’s Kiss!”

“And then he lost his powers. He knows how light magic works, but he needed Elsa to cast the spells,” Regina countered.

“But he was capable of healing magic,” Nova insisted.

“Actually,” Elsa said, her tone regretful. “He explained that to me. His power is elemental, like mine. Everything is filtered through it. To cast a healing spell, he has to channel it through his darkness, to think of it as cheating nature, like how I think of frostbite when I conjure fire.”

“But there’s nothing dark about True Love’s Kiss,” Belle insisted. “Even as the Dark One, he could do it.”

“So could Charming,” Regina said. “So can anyone, it doesn’t mean…”

“Mom,” Henry said. “I _know_ you can do it. Your power isn’t dark. It isn’t light. You learned dark magic, you can learn light magic too.”

“You magic isn’t dark either,” Anna told her sister. “That’s what the Blue Fairy said. And so far, everything she said about Zelena has been true.”

Regina looked at Snow. “That baby’s due in two weeks. I can’t relearn everything in two weeks.”

“Yes you can!” Henry said.

“Emma went from not believing in magic to breaking the curse in two days,” August said. “Just saying.”

“It’s impossible,” Regina repeated.

“That’s what I said,” Emma said. “And then something happened.”

“What?” Regina said.

“I realized that Henry was right.”

Henry grinned.

“One more thing,” Leroy said. Everyone looked at him. “Zelena’s time travel spell is supposed to be impossible too. We’ve got two witches, two fairies, a bunch of heroes, and even a couple of villains. What’s she got? A fancy necklace, a pissed off Dark One, and a bunch of flying monkeys? Sounds like good odds to me.”

No one cheered. It was hardly the President’s speech from Independence Day, or even a declaration that they would win, only that they could. But something in the attitude of the room changed. August wasn’t sure what it was; objectively speaking, they were in a worse position against Zelena than they had been yesterday. But somehow it didn’t feel like it.

He looked at Henry, standing in the middle of the room, beaming at a flabbergasted Regina. They’d never really figured out what ‘Truest Believer’ meant. August was starting to think he knew.

XxXxXxX

While the town slept, Zelena sent Rumplestiltskin on an errand. He was grateful for the timing. Belle and Bae were safe at home, hopefully getting some sleep. Zelena’s plan for the night root relied on catching Charming by surprise, so witnesses were out of the question. If Rumplestiltskin encountered anyone he had standing orders to kill them, but Zelena did know that Bae and Belle were close enough to the heroes that their disappearances would be noticed immediately. For now, they were safe.

As Rumplestiltskin moved through his darkened shop towards the safe, he was somehow reminded of those weeks immediately after he found Bae. He’d made a particular effort to endear his boy to Snow White and the Savior then, collecting potential allies in the eventuality that he was unable to be there for him. In some ways, his investment had paid off. He only wished that it had been enough.

XxXxXxX

“You want me to what?” David demanded.

“Stay here,” Regina said. “It only makes sense. You and the baby are Zelena’s final ingredients. This is one of the few places in town she can’t get to you.”

“I won’t hide!”

Regina sighed. “Of course you won’t,” she said sarcastically. “Even when being brave means being an idiot.”

“We’ll have to leave when the baby comes anyway,” Mary Margaret said. “The hospital is hardly part of the loft.”

“Can’t you give birth here? You weren’t planning on delivering in a hospital when you got pregnant in the Enchanted Forest.”

“And then what? Stay here until the baby is eighteen?”

“Until Zelena is caught! I’m trying it your way, all right? But I need time. If Zelena can’t get to you, she can’t cast her spell, and I have the time that I need.”

“What if there is a complication?” Snow asked. “How long do you expect us to be prisoners here?”

“Until I defeat my sister!”

“She’ll just threaten Henry until we agree to come out,” David said. It had been working well for her so far.

“And that’s why he needs to stay here too.”

“The rest of the town, then,” Mary Margaret said. “You know that David and I would not allow anyone to die for us.”

“That’s what makes you idiots,” Regina muttered.

“I believe in you, Regina. And I believe in Elsa. And with or without magic, I believe in my daughter. You will defeat Zelena; I know you will.”

“And it would be a lot easier if her last two ingredients didn’t offer themselves up like labs to a slaughter!”

Mary Margaret gasped, hurt. Regina frowned and looked away. “That may have been a bit out of line.”

“A bit,” David said coldly.

“Sorry,” she muttered again. “But, please, make it a little easier for me, would you? Two weeks isn’t that long. Pretend you have the flu. Watch movies. Eat ice cream. Get the nursery together. _Please._ ”

Mary Margaret sighed. She was afraid, David knew. She’d been having nightmares, dreams where their new baby was taken away like Emma had been. It was against David’s every instinct to sit out the fight, but he remembered something August had told Henry once. Sometimes being a hero was to know when not to fight. David was the liability now. “Fine,” he said. “But please, make it fast. When the baby comes, I really don’t think Zelena is going to give us a choice.”

Regina sighed. “You’re probably right.”

XxXxXxX

People started disappearing. First it was a couple of the dwarves. Then Hook reported that Smee had vanished. Frederick. Michael Tillman. Dove. Little John. Emma used all of her bail bondsperson skills to try to find them, and Regina attempted to apply her new lessons in light magic to their search, but it wasn’t going well.

David and Mary Margaret were going stir crazy. They all knew this was intended to lure David out so Zelena could harvest his courage. So far, Emma and Regina had convinced them to stay behind the wards of the loft, but the town was starting to wonder why their Queen and Prince would not show their faces and addresses the disappearances in person.

It came to a head a week before the baby was due.

“I need to be out there,” David said. Henry and Mary Margaret were seated at the table picking listlessly at their lunch, but David could not sit still. He was standing by Mary Margaret’s bed, peering out the window. The town was anxiously crowded, as the gossip had (correctly) gotten around that everyone who had disappeared had been alone at the time. David couldn’t hear what any of them were saying, but he did not miss the resentful glances many of them cast towards the loft.

“I know,” Mary Margaret said, “But it’s not just yourself you would be putting in danger. If Zelena gets your courage, she’s that much closer to potentially destroying us all.”

“Yeah, _potentially._ Even Regina doesn’t know what would happen if Zelena tries that spell; it could fail. It’s supposed to be impossible. And even if she does, who’s to say we can’t change it back? If I don’t go out there, people _will_ keep disappearing, and the town will tear itself apart.”

“Then I should go with you,” Mary Margaret said, leveraging herself against the table so she could stand.

“Yes!” Henry said cheerfully. “It’s time to go kick some butt!”

“No,” David and Mary Margaret said in tandem. 

“But-”

“You’re staying here,” David said. “And you too,” he said to Mary Margaret.

“What? No! I’m their leader-”

“You’re carrying our baby. You heard what Regina said; nothing will actually happen to me if Zelena takes my courage. But the baby? No.”

Mary Margaret bit her lip, angry, but she knew he had a point. That didn’t mean she was going to let it go. David looked at Henry, “Stay with Mary Margaret; you can look after each other while I’m gone.”

“Really?” Henry said, “You’re trying that? I’m not a kid anymore, you know.”

“Yes, you are,” Mary Margaret insisted. Then she looked at David. “David-”

There was a knock on the door. They all tensed. Everyone knew they were here and why. David wondered if the townsfolk had grown tired of waiting for them to reveal themselves. Another knock. “Queen Snow! Prince David! Let me in, please!”

“Johanna!” Mary Margaret exclaimed.

“Stay there!” David said. He drew his sword and approached the door. He looked through he peephole, seeing a ragged and frantic Johanna bracing herself against the doorframe as she pounded and glancing fearfully behind her.

“Please help me!”

“Open it,” Mary Margaret said. “If it’s Zelena, she can’t get through the wards.”

“Are you sure?”

“If she could, she’d have just come in,” Henry said.

“Right,” David said. Sword raised, he opened the door, standing a good two feet back from the wards.

“Thank goodness, Prince David! Let me in, please, she’s sure to know I’m missing by now!”

“Johanna?” Mary Margaret asked cautiously, one hand on her belly and the other on Henry’s shoulder.

“Snow! Thank the gods you’re all right!”

“What was my favorite dessert as a child?” Snow asked.

Johanna looked panicked for a moment then said, “Gingerbread. With plenty of cinnamon.”

Mary Margaret grinned hopefully, “Is it really you?”

“Yes! Let me in, please!”

“Wait,” David said, “If you’re really Johanna, you don’t need us to let you in; you were already welcome.”

“What?”

“The wards,” Mary Margaret said. “If you’re really Zelena, the wards will keep you out.”

David nodded. “Exactly.” He took a step back. Johanna, her eyes wide, took a step forward, through the door.

“It is you!” Mary Margaret said. “How did you escape?”

“She’s taken too many prisoners. She’s distracted. She’s planning an assault on the town; I knew I had to try to warn you.”

“She didn’t turn you into a flying monkey?” Henry asked curiously.

Johanna shook her head. “She was going to, but the Dark One told her that I had served Regina. She wanted to know about her; I couldn’t speak if I was a monkey.” She started to tear up. “Oh, Snow, I am so sorry…”

“No, no,” Mary Margaret said, “Sit down, please. You’re not a fault for any of this. I should have noticed something was wrong much earlier.”

“No, Snow, you had so much to worry about…”

“Sit down, please,” David said, leading the distraught woman to the table. 

“I’ll make you some tea,” Mary Margaret said.

“Oh, no, let me do that,” Johanna insisted.

“Johanna…”

“Please. I’ve been forced to serve that woman for weeks. Let me serve my true Queen.”

“I can help!” Henry volunteered.

“No…”

“But I can!” 

She struggled to smile. “If you insist.”

Tea was made and distributed. Henry (and, it turned out, Mary Margaret) wanted hot chocolate instead, so Johanna had him handle that task while she prepared the tea. She remembered how David took it, which was reassuring.

Once she was settled, he asked her about the attack. “She’s after you both,” Johanna explained tearfully. “And the baby.”

“We knew that,” Mary Margaret said, taking her the nurse’s hand.

“Did she mention a time? Where she’s going to strike?” David asked.

“Downtown. She means to take as many hostages as she can, to force you to step beyond these wards. If you refuse, she will command the Dark One to slaughter everyone there.”

“We need to clear the streets,” Mary Margaret said.

“No,” David said. “There’s no way we can fit the entire town in the few buildings that have wards. This has to end, Mary Margaret.”

“But the spell…”

“I have a plan.”

“What plan?”

“I offer her my courage.”

“David!”

“No, listen. She has to collect it, doesn’t she? She came out in person to collect Regina’s heart. The problem was, we weren’t prepared. This time, we meet her in a location I choose. Regina and Elsa create a distraction, and I go for Gold’s dagger.”

“David, we tried this before, remember?”

“But Regina was using dark magic in that battle. You heard what Glinda said; it’s light magic that we need.”

“She can do it,” Henry insisted, “I know she can.”

“We’re out of options, Mary Margaret. We can’t let her hurt any more of our people.”

Mary Margaret frowned, then smiled. “You’re right.”

David called Emma. She was less than impressed by his plan and he could hear Regina calling him an idiot over the phone, but they, plus Elsa, agreed to come back to the loft to discuss it. Now David was left waiting, pacing anxiously until help could arrive.

“David, sit down…” Mary Margaret began, but her voice trailed off in horror just as David felt a cold wind blow through the loft and heard a suspicious creaking behind him. He spun around, drawing his sword. He found himself staring at his own face.

“Who are you?” he demanded. His first thought was that it was somehow James, but there had never been even the slighted indication that his twin was still alive. And this creature neither looked nor smelled undead.

The other him smiled darkly. “I’m you. You didn’t really think that Zelena wouldn’t be able to find a way past these wards, did you?”

“Mary Margaret, run!”

“I won’t leave you!”

“Get Henry and Johanna out of here, I’ll hold him off!”

“David!”

“Come on, my Queen!”

“No!”

“What are you?” David demanded of his doppelganger. “How did she create you?”

“She didn’t,” it smiled. “You did.”

“I did no such thing!”

“Oh, yes you did. When you decided to hide away in here instead of leading your people. When you let your powerless daughter fight a Wicked Witch you were too cowardly to face yourself-”

“That wasn’t the reason! She needs my courage for her spell!”

It walked towards him, cocky and gloating. “Well, I guess she’ll be left wanting, won’t she?” Suddenly, a sword that had not been in the monster’s hand a moment previously came swinging at David’s head. He lifted his own sword to block, and when the other blade struck, David’s was snapped clean in half.

“David!”

Laughing, the being disappeared, only to reappear behind him, wrapping its arm around David’s throat. He saw Mary Margaret casting about for a weapon, but Henry was faster. He snatched a cast iron frying pan from the kitchen and came running towards him. David could not speak to warn him away. The monster gestured and Henry was thrown back, crashing into the table. And suddenly David realized what this thing was. It was his fear, given solid form as Rapunzel’s had been.

“Henry!” Mary Margaret screamed.

“Call Mom!” Henry gasped, “We need magic.”

But Regina was not the one who could slay this creature. The grip on David’s neck suddenly loosened; his resolve had weakened it. David wrenched away dropping to his knees and grabbing the broken hilt of his sword. “I know what you are,” he said. “You’re my fear.”

“Well, took you long enough,” it replied mockingly. “So what are you-”

Still on his knees, David stabbed it through the heart with the broken blade. It gasped, dying, then dissolved into scattering of black dust.

“Yeah!” Henry cheered.

Grinning, David turned towards him. “You guys OK?”

They didn’t get an opportunity to answer. “David!” Mary Margaret shrieked as Johann suddenly charged him, transforming into a flying monkey as she did. She ducked under his swing, reaching for the broken hilt. As soon as she touched it, both she and it vanished with a flash of green.

“Damn!” David shouted, then cringed, glancing at Henry. “Sorry-”

“It’s OK, you can swear; I’m twelve not two.”

“David are you all right?” Mary Margaret asked, stumbling over to him. 

“Fine, fine. Kind of feel like an idiot right now, but fine.”

“It was wasn’t your fault; she fooled me too.”

“How did a flying monkey get past the wards?” Henry asked.

“It probably really was Johanna,” David said. “If Zelena took her heart, she could control her, make her put the night root in my tea. Damn, I should have seen that coming!”

There was a knock in the door, but Emma didn’t wait for answer before coming in. She spotted the scattered dishes and toppled chairs immediately and asked, “What happened?”

David sighed. “There isn’t going to be an ambush.”

XxXxXxX

“Three down,” Zelena cooed, taking the symbol of Charming’s courage from her pet. “Only one innocent baby to go.” She tried to stroke the monkey’s head in reward, but it jerked away, chattering angrily. She zapped it with a bit of lighting instead. It squawked and scampered out of the way, leaving a smattering of feathers behind.

“Ungrateful,” Zelena muttered, but then she turned towards her favorite pet, too delighted by her success to be bothered by that little show of rebellion. “You were right, Rumple dear,” she cooed to the Dark One, who was kneeling on the floor, “She was useful. I think you deserve a reward as well.” She ran her hand through his hair.

His answering glare was equal parts despair and rage. She laughed.


	27. Ding Dong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: psychological manipulation/torture, references to rape

They decided that their best shot to protect Mary Margaret’s baby was for Regina to place fresh wards on the delivery room. Elsa offered, but the spell was simply too complicated. But even with her own experience behind it, Regina did not have faith in it. 

The wards had to allow Mary Margaret, David, Whale, Regina herself, and at least one nurse through. Blood wards were not an option, and Regina knew that nothing else she could cast would be strong enough to repel the Dark One. Henry insisted that if she used light magic, it would work, but even if she had been able to (her two weeks of practice had not been terribly successful), light magic was Zelena’s weakness, not Rumple’s. She laid the wards anyway, not telling anyone that she simply didn’t have enough goodness in her to make them light. She made them dark and hoped that no one would notice.

They didn’t, but it hardly mattered when Zelena came marching in minutes after Mary Margaret gave birth, Rumple beside her. Belle, the idiot, marched right into their path and actually demanded that Zelena set Rumple free. She got blasted into the wall for that. 

Elsa tried to use that momentary distraction to freeze Zelena in place, but Rumple turned her spell back on her, his face blank and emotionless. Enraged, Regina conjured fire, but Zelena only laughed, parrying it back to her and freezing her in place with far too little effort. Regina suddenly realized that she had never actually seen the extent of her sister’s power. The closest she had come had been their battle at the Dark Castle, and from the ease at which she now dispatched the fairies (frozen), the remaining dwarves (turned to monkeys), and Robin, Anna, Emma, and Kristoff (transported into a closet and trapped there), Regina knew she had just been playing with her then. 

Only Charming was left, brandishing his sword on the other side of Regina’s barrier. Zelena only smirked. “Rumple, dear, knock it down.”

It took him five minutes. Regina hadn’t expected it to last that long. Zelena flicked her fingers, trapping David as she had Regina and the fairies. “No, no!” Mary Margaret protested as the baby disappeared from her arms and reappeared in Zelena’s. She tried to push herself up, somehow hoping to follow them as they turned to leave (the new monkeys following at Zelena’a order), but she didn’t have the strength. She collapsed against the pillows, sobbing.

Incensed (and perhaps a little bit guilty) Regina fought against her sister’s spell. After a minute or two of struggling, it suddenly released, sending her stumbling. She gestured, opening the door Miss Swan was pounding against. The blonde spilled out into the hallway with Robin, Anna, and the reindeer herder.

“Elsa!” Anna cried. The weather witch was encased in ice, but under the frozen shell, they could see a warm glow of light. Elsa finally shook off the spell just as Anna reached her.

“Are you all right?” they asked each other.

“Yes,” Anna laughed nervously while Elsa nodded. “So what now?” she asked the group at large.

“We go after her,” Charming said, sword still drawn.

“Are you nuts?” Regina protested. “You saw how easily she beat us!”

“Stay here if you want,” David said. “I’m getting my son back.”

“She’ll kill you!”

“Maybe, but she’s not keeping my child. Who’s with me?”

“Me,” Swan said immediately.

“Me,” Elsa said.

“Us!” Anna agreed, as Kristoff nodded.

“Me,” Nova said.

“Me,” Belle said, trying to pick herself up off the floor.

“No,” Whale insisted, “You might have a concussion.”

“I’m fine, I can…”

“No,” Tinker Bell said. “Stay here with Mary Margaret. I’ll go.”

“Please,” she said, leaning on Whale. “Bring him back.”

“We’ll do our best,” Nova assured her.

“As will I,” Robin said. 

“We can’t win,” Regina repeated.

“I remember a time you were facing execution,” David said. “You didn’t give up then.”

“I was angry then. And ready to die. Angry won’t cut it this time. Not with Zelena.”

“That’s right,” David said. “We knew that. It’s light magic that we need. And from where I was standing, it looked like you didn’t even try.”

“I have been trying! I can’t do it!”

“Then stay here with Belle and Mary Margaret,” Emma said. “I can fight. And I will.” She and David started walking. The others followed, only Anna glancing over her shoulder. Robin hung back.

“I believe in you,” he said. “But if you don’t, then Zelena’s victory is assured. If that is to be the case then, like them, I would rather die on my feet. Farewell, Regina.” He turned away.

Regina huffed, took three frantic steps, then called out, “Wait!” He stopped.

“Maybe I can’t stop her. But I will make it the costliest victory I can.”

He smiled. Despite herself, Regina smiled back.

XxXxXxX

Zelena was so confident of her victory that she didn’t lay down a single barrier around the barn that housed her spell. Rumplestiltskin would have called it overconfident, but she’d just demonstrated that no one in the town could match her. She’d won.

She lay the baby on the Western point of the rune Rumplestiltskin had been force to dig earlier that morning. He’d struggled, trying to alter the rune to the slightest degree in hopes that it would cause the spell to fail, but the pull of the dagger was - always, always - too strong. 

She walked to a point off-center of the rune and smiled at him wickedly. “See you soon, pet.”

Then she raised her arms, and the innocence of the Savior’s brother, the courage of Prince Charming, the resilience of the Evil Queen, and the brilliance of the Dark One began to flow from the gathered totems towards the spell’s center.

_Bae. Belle. I love you. Please forgive me._

Charming, flanked by the same ramshackle group that Zelena had just trounced at the hospital, stepped into view. Zelena’s back was to them, and Rumplestiltskin kept perfectly still, hoping that she wouldn’t notice them before Emma could put a bullet in her brain.

But, of course, the heroes were never that logical. “I’m here for my son,” Charming moronically announced.

Rumplestiltskin’s curse cackled at his idiocy. Rumplestiltskin himself seethed. _You’ve killed us all, you fool!_ Zelena laughed. “So you can be unmade together? How sweet!”

“Not today,” Regina challenged.

Zelena just sighed. “Keep them out of my way, pet, if you please. It seems my sister needs one last lesson.”

His curse cackled again. In her certainty that she had already won, she’d gotten sloppy. Both her words and her intentions conveyed that she simply wanted the others to stop bothering her; he didn’t have to kill them. He didn’t even have to immobilize them. And there certainly were an awful lot of them, weren’t there? 

He divested Robin, Charming, and Emma of their weapons. He blocked Elsa’s ice spell. He shoved Anna and Kristoff into a stack of hay bales. Tinker Bell and Nova’s spells died off into aborted trails of green and pink sparks. And they all just got up and tried again. “If you get the dagger,” he said, “The Dark One will be on your side.”

“We’re trying!” Anna protested. “You’re not making easy!”

“I would if I could, dearie.”

“I know!” She smiled at him encouragingly. He’d always thought she was a bit daft.

Meanwhile, Zelena had grabbed Regina with magic, lifting her off her feet and gleefully applying just enough pressure to leave her gasping but still able to speak. After all, what fun was it tormenting her if she couldn’t talk back? “Was that really your best effort at light magic? Pathetic if you ask me. All that practice, and you couldn’t even put up a simple barrier. Face it, Regina, you’re as dark as they come. It was your destiny to be this way, and it will also be your undoing!” 

That didn’t even make any sense. He and Zelena were both darker than Regina, and they were winning. And why would Zelena care about Regina’s struggle to be light to begin with? Rumplestiltskin suddenly remembered a conversation he’d had with Bae and Belle (mostly Belle) one evening after they’d spent the day at the library with the puppet. Apparently, the three of them had spent the afternoon discussing the absurd habit some villains had of ‘monologing’. It seemed that Zelena had a terminal case. 

Rumplestiltskin paused as he felt a pulse of light magic from Regina’s direction. “Don’t tell me what I can be!” she growled. Somehow, Zelena didn’t feel it. _Do it! Do it, Regina!_

“I tried to be good once,” Zelena said, “But it wasn’t in the cards. This is who I am, and it’s who you are!”

“You’re wrong, Sis.” Regina spread her hands, light magic flowing into them too brightly for even Zelena to miss. The voices of his curse nearly drowned him with their laughter. He’s have joined them if he could.

“What are you doing?” Zelena demanded.

Regina herself seemed momentarily flabbergasted by her own accomplishment (not surprising really, she’d been like that with dark magic at first too), and then she grinned. “Changing.”

The wave of magic that shot from her hands blasted Zelena clear out of the spell circle. She dropped the dagger. _Free._ He was free. Everything was suddenly so overwhelming that he couldn’t move.

Regina interrupted the flow of energy from the totems, and Zelena’s spell halted. Then she marched up to her sister and tore the pendant from her neck. A cloud of green energy encompassed Zelena and then dissipated, leaving her powerless. Regina tossed out a barb that Rumplestiltskin could not hear over the voices of his curse.

_She’s vulnerable! KILL HER!_

For the first time in months, his power was his own. He extended his hand, wrapping an invisible rope of burning magic around Zelena’s ankles and pulled her across the ground towards him. The fear on her face was the most delicious sort of justice.

“Stop!”

He froze. His spell died. In his rage, he hadn’t bothered to secure the dagger. He looked at Anna. She’d picked it up and was walking towards him. “Wait, I didn’t mean that! I mean, I did, but not as a command!” she babbled. The bonds of magic that had bound him released, and he stumbled. “I mean, _please_ don’t kill her. Or hurt her. Or whatever it was you were going to do. I know you promised Bae you wouldn’t, and he’d be really upset. Also, killing people is not OK.”

The deal. He’d forgotten about the deal. He hadn’t been this out of control since he first became the Dark One. The voices started shouting at him. He stared as Anna continued towards him, holding the dagger like she actually meant to give it back to him. “Don’t!” Zelena pleaded, “Don’t let him kill me! I’m powerless!”

“We’re not going to,” Anna assured her. “Even if you are a really, really, really awful person. And you are, by the way.” Anna reached him, the dagger laid between her hands. 

She gave him a sunny smile, and Regina objected. “What are you doing? You can’t give him the dagger back! He’ll kill her!”

Rumplestiltskin could have laughed at the hypocrisy in her indignation, but the dagger was nearly in his reach, and he couldn’t do anything but stare at it. “So is controlling people,” Anna said indignantly. “I mean, duh, it’s an _evil_ dagger. Obviously, it’s evil to use it. You’re not supposed to be evil anymore.”

The heroes exchanged glances. Charming had retrieved his son, and Robin Regina’s heart. None of them said anything. Except Nova. “Anna’s right,” she said authoritatively. “Or were you planning on taking out Zelena’s heart so that she, too, can be command to never hurt anyone again?” _That’s not a bad idea._

“Yeah,” Emma said. “Give it back. But please, Gold, let us handle this. I don’t want to have to fight you on it.”

Grinning brilliantly, Anna held the dagger out to him. In that moment, he doubted that he should take it. After so many years and so many promises, he’d almost broken his word again in a fit of blind rage. “This is the second time you have given this back to me,” he said carefully. “One of these days, your generosity is going to lead you to trouble.” His hand closed around the hilt. “But not today.” He took the dagger back, concealing it under his coat until he could decide the safest place to hide it.

“Ha!” Anna said, with a joyful clap. “I knew it!” And then he was forced to scramble back, eyes wide, as she tried to hug him. “Sorry! Sorry, not a hugger. I get it. Are you all right? Do you want me to call Baelfire? He’s with the Merry Men, taking care of Roland. He wanted to come, but we thought he shouldn’t because Zelena might have made you do something to him. Kristoff overheard-”

“Yes,” he said, still not quite sure what he was hearing. “Please.”

She pulled out her phone and dialed, grinning like a fool. “Hi! We won!... Yeah!... Yeah, your father wants to talk to you, OK?... OK!” She handed him the phone and he took it reverently.

“Bae?”

“Papa! Papa, are you all right?”

“Yes,” he lied. “Bae, you’re… where are you?”

“At the Merry Men’s camp. Why don’t you go to the hospital, OK? I’ll meet you there.”

“Belle…” She’d still been unconscious when Zelena had made him leave. Surely she hadn’t killed her? Belle was made of stronger stuff than that.

“She’s all right; Whale looked her over. But she’s really worried about you; go see her. I’ll be there in just a few minutes, OK?”

“OK,” Rumplestiltskin repeated. He didn’t know what else to say.

“I love you, Papa. I’ll be right there.”

“I love you too.”

“Bye.” Bae hung up. 

“I will be going to the hospital,” he informed Anna as he handed her phone back. He wasn’t sure why.

“Great! You can go with David!” He wasn’t planning on taking a car. But then there was no reason David had to either; Snow was probably frantic by now. Rumplestiltskin raised his hand again, prepared to transport all three of them when Anna called out, “Oh, you’re going to… wait! Do you need that?” She pointed to the golden brain still sitting on the edge of Zelena’s spell circle. “I mean, David’s courage grew back, but Regina’s heart didn’t. And obviously the _baby_ doesn’t. I’m really not sure about the rules for brains…”

Not answering her chatter, he twisted his fingers, and the brain collapsed back into the pile of spun gold it had previously been, rendering it inert. “Oh, well, there you go!” She said.

“Hey, guys, what did we miss?” Leroy asked, as he and his brothers stumbled into the barn, panting.

“Dreamy!” Nova rushed over to her love.

“All us monkeys turned back,” the dwarf announced. “That means we won, right?”

 _The monkeys._ Rumplestiltskin conjured a scroll with Malcolm’s portrait and handed it to Anna. “Give this to Emma. This man collaborated with Zelena willingly.”

She took the scroll, looking at it. “Oh! Collaborators! What about Ingrid? Where is she? We thought she was working with Zelena-”

“She was not. She’s imprisoned in Pandora’s Box. On the mantel in the living room of Zelena’s farmhouse.”

“She wasn’t in on it?” Regina asked suspiciously.

“No. She was taken as a misdirection.”

“What about Mal?”

“Still missing.” And that was as many questions as Rumplestiltskin could reasonably tolerate just then. He needed to see his family. Now. He turned to Anna. “Thank you,” he told her, because he was sure Bae and Belle would want him to.

“You’re wel-”

He transported, taking David and the baby with him. “Gold!” David squawked indignantly; fortunately, he hadn’t dropped the babe in his surprise. Rumplestiltskin supposed that he should have thought of that before transporting him, but he was having trouble thinking clearly.

And then all was forgiven as Mary Margaret called out, “David!” Charming rushed to his wife’s side and placing their son in her arms. Rumplestiltskin turned the other direction, frantic to find Belle or someone who might know where she might be.

XxXxXxX

Belle looked up at the gentle knock on the doorframe. “Rumple!” She dropped the ice pack Whale had given her for her head and jumped to her feet. Or tried to.

The dizziness had not entirely subsided, and she stumbled. “Don’t!” Rumple said, appearing by her side and guiding her to sit. “You’re hurt.”

“I’m fine. Rumple…”

He was fighting tears. “I didn’t want to leave you,” he said. “She made me…”

She stroked his cheek. “I know. I know. Oh, Rumple…” She kissed him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. After nearly eight months of worry and sleepless nights, she wasn’t quite sure this was real. Even the pain in her head seemed distant and intangible.

He put his hands on her waist then broke the kiss. “Your injury… let me? Please?” He lifted his right hand, glowing purple with what she recognized as a healing spell.

On another day, she might have waived him off. It wasn’t that severe, and she didn’t much like magic interfering with the natural way of things. But his eyes were scared and guilty (not that any of it was his fault), and he was asking for a way to undo some of what Zelena had done. “Go ahead,” she said with a small smile.

The pain in her head immediately eased as he ran his hand from her forehead to the back of her skull. Then he embraced her tightly, hooking his chin over her shoulder and burying his right hand in her hair. His left wrapped around her waist so firmly she could feel his heart pounding and his entire body shaking. “Oh, Rumple,” she said. “It’s all right. You’re safe now. We’re all safe now.”

He said nothing, but she could feel the hitch in his breathing as he tried to control his tears. He was rocking her slightly, and she doubted he was even aware of it. She rested her head against his shoulder.

She wasn’t sure how long they sat there, holding each other. She heard running in the hall and looked up to see Baelfire sprint into the doorway, breathing hard. “Papa?” he asked tearfully.

Rumple scrambled to his feet. “Bae… Bae!” Bae grunted with the force of Rumple’s hug, but hugged him back just as hard. “My boy... I thought I would never see you again,” Rumple cried. The tenuous control he’d maintained up until this point finally shattered. His sobs were harsh and heartbreaking.

Fighting her own tears, Belle joined them, wrapping her arms around them both as far as they would reach. Rumple struggled valiantly, eventually able to calm himself enough to pull away, tears still streaming down his face. Belle’s was just as wet. He pulled out his pocket square and handed it to her. Then he conjured one for Baelfire and one for himself.

“Do you need a doctor?” Belle asked him. She’d been having nightmares for months about what tortures Zelena might be inflicting on him. Physically, he appeared uninjured, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything.

“No.” He shook his head, laughing darkly. 

“What do you want to do?”

“Return home. If that is acceptable to you.”

“Of course it is.”

“Bae?”

“Yes, Papa, of course.”

And then they were standing in the foyer of their home. Rumple held out his hand, presenting Belle with her purse and coat. They hadn’t even been in the room with her; she’d left them in the waiting room. She took them. He looked at her like he expected her to scold him. “Thank you,” she said, smiling to put him at ease.

He looked at Bae, who just hugged him again. “I missed you,” he said.

“Oh, Bae. I missed you too. I missed you both, so much.”

“Me too,” Belle said, but if they continued on this way she was going to start bawling again. “Can I get you anything?” she asked to change the subject. “Tea? Something to eat?”

He swallowed and shook his head. “I’m not hungry,” he said quietly.

“Is there anything else? What do you want?” She wanted to hold them both until they could forget the months of fear and pain, but that wasn’t the most practical plan.

“I think… a shower?” he asked hesitantly.

“Yes, of course,” she said, although he didn’t seem poorly groomed. _What did she do to you? How did she treat you?_ Belle couldn’t imagine that it had been anything less than horrible, but there wasn’t a sign of mistreatment anywhere on his body. Anywhere that she could see, anyway.

Wiping his eyes again, Rumple stepped back, neither his steps nor his breathing steady. “I won’t be long,” he said.

“Take your time,” she said with a smile, placing her hand on his arm. He embraced her once again, kissing her temple, then pulled away, plodding slowly up the stairs. She waved to him, trying to get him to smile. She could see that he tried, but he wasn’t quite able to manage it. Once she lost sight of him, she looked at Bae, feeling bereft. She wrapped her arms around herself.

“I’ll make coffee,” Bae said.

She nodded. “I’ll make tea.”

XxXxXxX

“David!” Emma shouted when he disappeared. “Gold, what the hell?”

“He went to the hospital,” Anna explained cheerfully. “He must have taken David with him.”

“Are you sure?”

“Um… mostly? I mean, he didn’t seem mad. Or evil, or anything. I mean, he tried to hurt Zelena, but really she was pretty much asking for it… That came out wrong. What I mean is-”

“We know what you meant, sister,” Leroy said. “And she was asking for it. She made him the Dark One again, then fucked with him. She’d have deserved it is he had killed her. What? You’re all thinking it! I’m just the one saying it.”

“Heroes don’t do that,” Regina said. Maybe it was unkind, but she reminded Emma of alcoholics she’d known who would get super-preachy after a single AA meeting, overcompensating because they knew they weren’t yet on solid ground.

“Sure, but he ain’t a hero. And neither are you, so I don’t know what you’re complaining about,” Leroy countered.

Regina bristled, but Zelena’s begging drowned her out. “Please, don’t let him hurt me. Regina, we’re sisters…”

“I won’t,” she said, like she was trying to convince herself.

Emma didn’t much care. Objectively, it would be wrong for Gold to kill Zelena, but she’d done more than poke the bear - she’d given him his teeth and claws back. But Emma didn’t think that he would. Gold had made a deal, and he never broke his word. So he’d gone after her in the heat of the moment? He’d taken a swing at the Blue Fairy too, back when Regina’s curse first broke. He’d never followed up on it. Emma was more than happy to call it a temporary lapse and trust Gold to keep it under control from now on. And if she was wrong? She wouldn’t shed a tear after what Zelena had done.

Emma called David. He affirmed that Gold had simply taken him to the hospital. “I honestly think he was just trying to be nice,” he said.

“Nice? I… yeah, I guess he does do that sometimes. Especially when kids are involved. Are Mary Margaret and the baby OK?”

“Yeah. Do you need me back out there?”

“No, you stay with them. We’ve got this.”

“Thanks, Emma.”

“Bye, David.”

Emma put her phone away and took out her cuffs. “Stand up, hands behind your back,” she told Zelena, who was still sitting in the dirt. It was over. The witch was defeated. The only question now was how long Emma was going to hang around in Storybrooke. She didn’t know. She knew what Henry’s vote would be, but she didn’t know if it was the best thing for him. They’d been normal in New York. Happy. And wasn’t like she was the Savior anymore anyway.

Cowed, Zelena let herself be cuffed. Assignments were handed out. Robin, Regina, Nova, the dwarves, Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff headed to the farmhouse to gather up the people who had been turned into monkeys, return any hearts that had been taken, locate Malcolm if they could (Gold had supplied a picture), and retrieve Pandora’s Box. Tink volunteered to help Emma take Zelena to jail and aid in the interrogation.

With David indisposed, it seemed Emma was back to being Sheriff, if only for one more arrest. It wasn’t a bad feeling.

And that just made it worse.

XxXxXxX

Rumplestiltskin cast a silencing charm on the bathroom. He undressed, throwing a towel over the vanity mirror when he caught a glance of his reflection. He turned on the shower, letting the water run until it was nearly scaling before stepping in. And he allowed himself exactly ten minutes to fall apart.

_Weak. Nothing. She hurt you. Kill her! She’s dangerous. She’s seen you weak. She will tell everyone was a spineless, pathetic creature you are. Belle will know. She will be disgusted by you. She will leave you. Monster. Coward. Disgusting. WEAK!_

“SHUT UP!”

The voices of his curse had never been this loud. He didn’t know how long he could fight them. And he didn’t want to fight them. He wanted to kill Zelena. He wanted to take the dagger she had taunted him with for eight months and drive it into her flesh and watch as the life left her body. She deserved it, Regina’s sanctimonious preaching notwithstanding.

But Bae would never understand. Neither would Belle. He’d made a deal. Zelena had taken so much of him, pulled him apart and played with the pieces simply to amuse herself. There was nothing he had left of himself that was his own. Nothing except his word. He’d broken it once and it had cost him everything. If it drove him mad, he would not break it again.

As he sobbed against the wet tile, he was convinced it _would_ drive him mad.

His ten minutes were up. He took it all, the voices, the fear, the rage, and the despair, and shoved it behind the façade of Mr. Gold. Mr. Gold was not the Dark One. He was not a victim. He had never faced ogres or been undone by a wicked witch.

He dried his hair. He wrapped himself his robe (left hanging in the very same spot it had occupied the morning Regina had reversed the first curse) and retreated to the bedroom to get dressed. 

He regarded his suits. He’d spent every day and night since June either in a suit or stripped completely naked. He missed pajamas. He’d missed his robe. But they scared him too. Without his suits, he wasn’t Mr. Gold. He was exposed. Vulnerable. Human.

_Weak. Pathetic. Nothing._

_Shut. Up._

His suits were his armor. He didn’t want armor. He wanted to feel relaxed and safe with his family. Belle was always teasing him to dress more casually. Bae had said something a time or two. But he couldn’t. Not now. He needed Mr. Gold, and Mr. Gold always wore a suit.

But at least he didn’t have to wear black. Zelena had liked him in black. He pulled a navy suit out of the closet and laid it on the bed. He went hunting for a matching shirt.

_Put on a brave face, Rumple, dear. Appearances matter._

He wanted to curl up on the bed a scream out his agony. But he’d given himself ten minutes. His ten minutes were up. 

He found a shirt, next was a waistcoat and tie.

XxXxXxX

Belle had been listening for his footsteps; she looked up. “Rumple! There you are!”

“Here I am.” His smile was hesitant and shy.

She hurried over to him, looping her arms around his shoulders and laying her head against his chest. He hadn’t been gone more than twenty minutes. Those twenty minutes had been far too long. He kissed her temple and held her close. She didn’t want to let go.

They did, eventually. “I made tea. Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat?” she asked him.

He shook his head again. “I’m fine.” Then he asked, “Are you hungry? I can make you something,” while trailing a hand through her hair.

She had missed his cooking. But she wasn’t hungry either. “No, thank you. Unless… Bae?”

“I can wait.”

“You’re sure?” Rumple asked, immediately concerned. “It’s no trouble.”

“Nah. I’m really not hungry either.”

“If you’re sure.” 

“Yeah.”

Rumple looked at her, his hands now at her waist. None of them knew what to do next. 

XxXxXxX

As the moments of awkward silence stretched on, Rumplestiltskin could feel the voices preparing the fill the void. He scrambled for something to say.

As he had been before, more times that Rumplestiltskin could count, Bae was his savior.

“Do you guys want to watch a movie? We’ve got all those ones August recommended. The ones you didn’t…” He trailed off, looking at Belle, who smiled awkwardly.

“Didn’t what?” Rumplestiltskin asked.

She toyed with his tie, looking down. “I didn’t want to watch them. Without you.” Then she smiled at him.

He touched her cheek. “You didn’t have to do that,” he said, “But a movie would perfect, I think.” An excuse to cuddle with Belle on the couch for two hours while meaningless noise filled the silence? Yes, he could do that.

“Great! Oh, let’s make popcorn!”

Just the thought of food made Rumplestiltskin feel ill, but he didn’t have to eat any of it. “Sure.”

Too distracted to do it correctly, Rumplestiltskin cheated and used magic to keep the popcorn from burning entirely. He didn’t think Bae or Belle noticed. They relocated to the den, and Rumplestiltskin accepted a cup of tea only because it made Belle smile at him. _You betrayed her. She is going to be disgusted by you._

Belle joined him on the couch, and Rumplestiltskin had expected Bae to take the easy chair, but instead he nudged Rumplestiltskin’s legs, the bowl of popcorn in his arms. “Scoot over.”

“What?”

“Scoot over. I want to share the couch with you guys.”

“Oh. Yes, of course.” Bae didn’t just sit down. He put the popcorn in Rumplestiltskin’s lap and leaned against him, clearly intending to spend a good part of the movie there. Baffled, but touched, Rumplestiltskin wrapped an arm around his waist, the other looped around Belle as she pressed into his other side. He wondered if he were dreaming.

But he knew his subconscious would never have come up with such a strange film. “What is this?” There were doors in trees, and something about holidays. Singing ghosts.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas,” Bae said. “August said it’s really good.”

“He said it was a love story,” Belle said. With monsters, apparently. 

_Witches._

Three grotesquely ugly witches, one a cyclops, sang, “Well, that’s just fine,” in response to the question, “Aren’t you scared?”

_Turn it off._

“Are you all right?” Belle asked in concern.

“Fine,” he said, not knowing what he’d done to catch her attention. Had he stiffened? Inhaled sharply? Or perhaps she could simply hear his heart trying to beat out of his chest.

“You’re sure? We can watch something else.”

Rumplestiltskin was as wretched a coward as there had ever been, but he was not going to hide from a children’s movie. “There’s nothing wrong. I’m fine.”

_Liar._

And they both knew he was lying. But they didn’t call him on it. They both just let him pull them closer. Bae smiled at him, taking a handful of popcorn. Rumplestiltskin tried to smile back.

Fortunately, the witches were not central characters. Or, perhaps, unfortunately. They tended to pop up without warning. They fawned over the skeleton. They cackled.

At least they were ugly.

They didn’t look like Zelena. They didn’t sound like her. She’d have been enraged to be represented this way. It was a small victory, but he’d take it. 

About an hour in, Bae started snoring quietly. Belle looked up. Rumplestiltskin was afraid to move, lest he wake him. Belle smiled. “It’s been hard for him,” she whispered. “He hasn’t been sleeping well.”

Rumplestiltskin squeezed his boy lightly and kissed his hair. “Thank you,” he whispered back, “For taking care of him.”

“We took care of each other. And Wendy. She stayed with us until her brothers arrived.”

“Then I shall thank her too.”

Belle gave him a quick kiss. His heart lurched, but he didn’t think she noticed. She laid her head back down against his shoulder. Rumplestiltskin buried his nose in her hair.


	28. Loose Ends

“She kept the heart in her nightstand?” Regina scoffed, picking it up. She’d already retrieved Pandora’s Box from the mantel, just as Rumple had said.

The maid the heart belonged to was in the kitchen, sobbing obnoxiously as Anna, Elsa, Nova, and the reticent Mr. Dove tried to calm her down. Most of the other former monkeys had stayed put as well, but Malcolm was long gone. According to some of the others, he was among those that bolted as soon as they had changed back.

“Can you put it back?” Robin asked.

“Of course I can, if she lets me get close enough.”

“I’m sure she’ll be reasonable.”

Hysterical was more like it. She sobbed all through the procedure. “It’s all right,” Elsa said, “It wasn’t your fault.”

“She made me betray my Queen, attack my prince…”

“You didn’t have a choice,” Regina said, perhaps a bit impatiently (she hated crying). “She had your heart.”

“The baby - is the baby all right?”

“Yes!” Anna said. “At least I think so. It didn’t look like the spell hurt him at all…” The maid sobbed louder.

“He’s _fine_ ,” Regina said. “The spell was interrupted. It’s over. The happy family is back at the hospital. So what do you want to do with this?” she asked the Arendaliens, putting the Box on the table with a loud clack.

“We should open it,” Elsa said immediately.

“No,” Kristoff countered. 

Anna only said, “Well…”

“You said that Belle told you that it is torment to be trapped in there,” Elsa said. “Whatever Ingrid has done, we can’t do that to her. She was Zelena’s prisoner the same as Rumplestiltskin and the rest of these people were.

“The thing is… she’s really dangerous,” Anna said.

“So is Rumple,” Regina reminded her. On further reflection, it probably hadn’t been such a great suggestion to keep Rumple’s dagger, but she was still angry at being scolded in front of everyone. She wasn’t above a little harmless payback. “I recall you telling me less than an hour ago that enslaving people is ‘evil’.”

“It is! But Rumplestiltskin is a good guy. Now, I mean. He never actually apologized or anything, and he can be really scary if he wants to, but he’s not going around _freezing_ people.”

“He’s been known to do that,” Regina said.

“But not recently,” Anna insisted.

“We don’t know what happened to Ingrid in the time after she left Arendale,” Elsa reminded her sister.

“You mean the time we were frozen?” the reindeer herder asked.

“Well, yes. But Rumplestiltskin knew about that too, and he had me in an urn for most of that time as well. What I’m saying is, she might have changed during that time. Perhaps we could even persuade her to lift her spell.”

“If you can find a way back the Arendale,” Regina said. 

“Yes.” Elsa took her sister’s hand. “Anna, this isn’t right. You know it’s not.”

Anna sighed. “OK. But we should do this outside.”

“Why? Afraid she’ll get water on the carpets?” Truth be told, Regina was somewhat curious to meet Ingrid. She had no idea how the weather witch had managed to fly under her radar for so long. She didn’t even remember meeting her, and certainly not assigning her an ice cream parlor. The curse must have picked it itself based on her powers. 

The maid (thankfully) had managed to get her tears under control. Mr. Dove helped her stand, his other hand on his gun. Regina had to hand it Rumple, he had decent taste in minions. Anna picked up the box. “Um… I’m not sure how to open this.”

“Give it to me,” Regina said, sighing. The kitchen was actually quite crowded, and the other rooms weren’t much better. Apparently, Zelena followed the cram-it-full-of-stuff-so-that-it-looks-homey school of interior decorating. She stepped out the screen door into the yard, Robin and the others following her. Robin readied his bow. Nova drew her wand. 

Regina readied a fireball. With her other hand, she opened the box. Ingrid flowed out in a glowing red mist. She stumbled on the chilly grass, then spun around to face them. “I… Elsa?” she asked.

“Yes,” Anna said for her sister. “And _us._ Didn’t expect to see us again did you?” Anna puffed herself up and glared at Ingrid. Really, it was laughable when that girl tried to be intimidating.

“Anna… Kristoff…”

“And don’t try freezing everything again! Elsa knows who you are now! And Nova. And Regina. And… and _Rumplestiltskin!_ ”

“Rumplestiltskin? Elsa… Elsa, you _cannot_ trust Rumplestiltskin-”

“Let me stop you right there, sister,” the grumpy dwarf said, raising a hand. “We’ve heard it all before. Seen it too. None of us here like the guy-”

“I do!” Anna said. Everyone looked at her. “What? I do! He’s really smart, and he taught Elsa all kinds of things-”

“You took lessons with Rumplestiltskin?” Ingrid gasped, looking at Elsa in horror.

“Yes,” Elsa said coldly. “So that I would know how to reverse the spell you cast over Arendale.”

Ingrid looked between the two sisters. Regina had had her plans foiled enough times to recognize that Ingrid had not been expecting any of this. She had a plan - and it had been disrupted. “So what are you doing in Storybrooke?” Regina asked. “I don’t recall ever having a grudge against you.”

“You didn’t. I was simply… caught, as so many were.”

“What are you planning?” Anna demanded, pointing an accusing finger at her. “Because if it’s the Spell of Shattered Sight, you can forget it. Rumplestiltskin knows all about it, and he helped us destroy Sydney’s mirror!”

Something flashed across the blonde’s face. _Aha. Rumple was right._ “This is my town,” Regina said. “I don’t suggest you try anything like that again.”

“We just locked up the last witch,” the dwarf added. “One more wouldn’t be hard.”

But then the ever optimistic fairy had to interrupt. “Dreamy, please.” She turned to Ingrid. “My name is Nova. Do you have any intention of harming anyone here?”

“Why did you have that creepy picture of Emma in your house?” the dwarf pressed.

“That’s a good question,” Regina said. “Do you have a grudge against Miss Swan? If you do, I can’t say that I blame you, but experience says you aren’t going to get very far with it.”

“Damn right.”

There were a lot of them circled around her now - Regina and Robin, the three from Arendale, the fairy, all seven dwarves, Rumple’s hired muscle, and several other former flying monkeys. Ingrid looked like she was considering bolting when the fairy again tried the olive branch. “Please, we don’t want anyone else to get hurt. Do you intend to hurt anyone here?”

“No,” Ingrid said. “Please. The Wicked Witch captured me. I would simply like to return home.”

Regina didn’t need Miss Swan’s little super power to know she was lying. “Fine,” she said. “But don’t put up any wards. Your landlord doesn’t like being barred from his own property.”

“I don’t have a landlord.”

Regina raised an eyebrow. Everyone she hadn’t specifically assigned to have ownership of their homes rented either from Midas if they were poor (she’d cursed him to be a slumlord and was honestly impressed by how he’d managed to improve his buildings after the curse had been lifted) or Rumple if they were not (or she particularly disliked them). As a business owner, Ingrid should have been in the latter category. “I still wouldn’t do it if I were you. Might look…. suspicious if the Sherriff can’t serve a legal warrant,” Regina pressed.

“I would never bar Emma from my home.”

“Well, that’s not creepy or anything,” the dwarf muttered.

“Miss Swan is not the Sherriff at the moment; Mr. Nolan is.”

“I see. And I understand. I’m not looking for trouble.”

“See that it stays that way.”

Ingrid looked at Elsa. “Elsa… I would like a chance to explain. I’m sure that your… that Anna has told you about the last time we met-”

“You took my memories. I want them back.”

“I did. I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to think badly of me-”

“Are you serious?” the dwarf asked. “I don’t think even you tried that one,” he told Regina.

“Dreamy, please,” Nova said quietly.

“He’s right,” Kristoff said. “If she’d had her way, Anna and I would still be frozen, and the rest of Arendale still is. And you took Elsa’s memories so ‘she wouldn’t think badly of you’? So she wouldn’t know what you did, more like.”

“It’s not like that.”

Both Regina and the dwarf snorted. “Yeah, right,” he said.

But Regina was tired, and she didn’t want to battle another witch today. “Just go home,” she said. “And don’t try anything. You’ll be hearing from someone at the Sherriff’s department very soon.”

“Very well,” Ingrid said. “Elsa, you may come by for your memories any time you are ready.” She disappeared.

“I think she was lying,” Anna said immediately. _Thank you Princess Obvious._ “She’s still planning something.”

“I think you’re right,” Elsa said.

“Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it when it happens,” Regina said.

XxXxXxX

Bae grunted, pushing away from his father and blinking tiredly. There was now a completely different movie playing in the television. “How long was I asleep?”

“Nearly two hours,” Papa said, looking at him fondly. “You were tired.”

“Yeah.” Bae rubbed his face, feeling moisture on his left cheek. _Oh, God._ He grabbed a tissue. “I drooled on you, Papa. Sorry.”

“It’s all right. It wasn’t the first time,” Papa chuckled, then ran a hand over the wet spot on his lapel to banish it.

“Oh, please don’t mention that.”

“Have I ever told you how adorable Bae was as a baby?” Papa asked Belle, grinning mischievously.

“Papa, stop!”

Belle giggled and wrapped her arm around Papa’s waist. “No. Tell me about it.”

“Papa!”

“All right, all right. I’ll tell you later,” he said to Belle in a stage whisper.

Bae groaned.

XxXxXxX

According to Emma, Zelena hadn’t said much. It didn’t matter really; they had her dead to rights on everything from kidnapping to theft (August wasn’t sure exactly what the monetary value of Pandora’s Box might be, but he was sure it was enough to qualify for the felony). 

All the missing people had been accounted for except Malcolm. Some of them hadn’t been given homes by the new curse, so Granny was doing a brisk business at the inn (reimbursed by the town), and Mary Margaret had asked Archie and Nova to reach out to Midas and Gold to see what properties they might have available. The Merry Men were also happy to accommodate anyone who wanted to join their camp, but apparently not too many people were enticed by the idea of spending a Maine winter sleeping in tents. More people were interested in the apartments they had left vacant months before. August had to hand it to those guys; they were committed to the lifestyle. Still, he wondered if, come December, some of them might be wanting those warm apartments back.

The naming ceremony/victory party was scheduled for tomorrow. Mary Margaret was still in the hospital with the baby, and neither Emma for Regina wanted to host anything. There was still a lot of tension between them, and Emma still seemed to be entertaining the idea of taking Henry and leaving Storybrooke. August hoped she wouldn’t, but he couldn’t blame her if she did.

The one thing she’d asked him, as he’d left the loft that evening, was to swing by the Rabbit Hole and see if he could gather anything on Malcolm. Naturally, he’d agreed. 

As soon as he walked in the door, Hook got up and walked over. “It’s true then?” the pirate asked.

“Ding dong, the Wicked Witch is in lockup!” August announced. The bar cheered.

“And Emma?”

“Is a big sister,” August said flippantly. 

“She’s all right then? Not hurt?”

“Apart from some bumps and bruises - mostly Zelena’s, from Gold - no one was hurt. The monkeys all turned back, Regina got her heart back, it’s done.”

“Very well,” the pirate said. He actually seemed genuinely lovelorn. It was creepy. According to Emma, he’d backed off after that thing with her magic. Apparently, it wasn’t because he was over her. _Shit._

August sighed. “There’s one loose end.” He pulled out his photocopy of Malcolm’s portrait. “Have you seen this guy?”

“No. Who is he?”

“The man who used to be Peter Pan. His name is Malcolm. Apparently, he was in on it with Zelena. Emma wants him in custody. If you really want to help, keep an ear out.”

“No need, mate,” Hook said, gazing at the door over August’s shoulder.

_Speak of the devil._

Malcolm had just walked in. And he apparently had some damn good survival instincts, because the second he made eye contact with Hook, he bolted.

“Shit!”

August ran after him, Hook keeping pace. Malcolm led them on a couple twists and turns towards the docks, and August was afraid they might actually lose him before Hook said, “Keep after him, mate!” and peeled off around a different corner.

“Hook!”

Two more turns, and Malcolm found his escape blocked by a pissed off pirate brandishing a hook that August knew from personal experience was way too damn sharp. Wide-eyed, Malcolm scrambled backwards, but Hook was faster. Taller and armed (no pun intended), he pinned Malcolm against the wall easily, his hook against the man’s throat. “Help!” Malcolm pleased to August.

“Stay put and he won’t hurt you,” he said. “Right?”

“If you insist, mate.”

“Right.”

“I haven’t done anything!” Strangely enough, he had a Scottish accent. Gold was the only other person August knew from the Enchanted Forest who had one. He wondered if that meant he was from the Frontlands, but that didn’t explain why Bae sounded American. Perhaps Rumplestiltskin had traveled in his youth. August knew that his own father’s accent had come from the woodcarver who had apprenticed him after his parents had been turned into puppets; perhaps Malcolm had been Rumplestiltskin’s student at some point.

_Get back to the point, Booth! Focus!_ August scrambled for his phone.

“Liar,” Hook accused the babbling man. 

“Please, I don’t know this place! The witch took me prisoner-”

“Shut your lying mouth,” Hook spat. “You know who I am. And I know who you are. I owe you for Liam.” _Liam?_ “And Balefire. And the rest of them. Don’t tempt me to make good on it.”

“Relax, let him talk,” August said, texting Emma their location. “We can use it against him later.” 

Hook grinned. “Now that’s a fair point. Any crimes you would like to confess, _Pan?_ ”

“Just so you know,” August told him, “You’re entitled to a defense attorney. But there’s only one in town, and I don’t think he likes you very much. You might want to cooperate.”

“Yes! Yes, of course,” Malcolm gibbered, wide-eyed.

If August hadn’t spent so long learning how to protect himself by convincing people he wasn’t a threat to them, he might not have picked up on the act Malcolm was putting on. But he had, and he did. And Hook, well, August knew first hand how Hook responded to that kind of thing; he wasn’t a man to suffer cowards. As if to prove it, he forced Malcolm’s head back just a little more. “So what did the witch offer you? Magic? The lad’s heart?” he demanded.

“What heart?”

Hook slammed him against the wall. “Don’t lie. Emma’s son. The Truest Believer. The boy you spent so long searching for. What was he to you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about-”

“Liar!” Another thud against the wall. August should probably stop this before Hook actually did some damage.

“Dial it back, man. This isn’t the Enchanted Forest; we have laws.”

“Laws that protect scum that hunt children?”

August grimaced. “Yeah, actually. Leave it to Emma; she’ll get the truth out of him. You know that.”

“Not without her-” he cut himself off and looked away guiltily.

“Yes, without that. She was dealing with guys like this long before she got to Storybrooke; she can handle it.”

“Thank you,” Malcolm pleaded to August.

“I don’t suppose you would like to express your gratitude by confessing everything, would you?”

Malcolm gaped at him, and Hook chuckled darkly. August shrugged. “It was worth a shot.”

XxXxXxX

Emma would have felt like collecting Malcolm was the last loose end if another one hadn’t been standing right there, pinning him to the wall. _Goddam Hook._

“Emma!” August said as she walked up. “Did I deliver or what?”

“As I recall, I’m the one who actually caught him, mate,” Hook said.

“And as I recall, he only ran in the first place when he saw you, _mate._ ”

“Turn him around,” Emma said tiredly, showing Hook her cuffs. 

“Of course, Emma.”

She avoided his eyes as she read Malcolm his rights. Maybe it wasn’t strictly legal, now that she wasn’t the Sherriff, but David wasn’t here, and nothing about this town was ever strictly legal. “Who will you get to defend him?” August asked. “And Zelena for that matter? I somehow doubt Gold will be willing.”

“Abigail did it for Moe and George; they were the only ones who ever took us up on it. She doesn’t have a degree, but she’s apparently pretty good with Enchanted Forest law.”

“You know, I never noticed that before; the only people you’ve arrested since the curse broke are people Gold really hates.”

“Please,” Malcolm pleaded, “I haven’t done anything!”

“Witnesses said you did,” Emma said, walking him to the car. So did her common sense.

But not her superpower. She looked at Hook, who followed in silence. She didn’t know if she should hate him or thank him. She hadn’t wanted her damn magic, but it still hadn’t been his to take. She wondered exactly what his little fantasy had looked like, the three of them leaving Storybrooke while everyone else was left at Zelena’s mercy. 

He was a pirate. That was it.

“Thanks,” she said, “But you can go. David will follow up with you if he has questions.”

“Look, Swan-”

“Don’t.” She didn’t want to hear an apology, an excuse, or another declaration of love (definitely not another declaration of love). She was tired, she was pissed, and she didn’t know what the hell she was going to do. The last thing she needed was an asshole pirate making it even more complicated.

He looked wounded by that. She didn’t care. She _couldn’t_ care. “Goodnight, Killian,” she said.

August had jogged ahead of her to open the car door. He raised his eyebrows when she mentioned Hook’s name. “Don’t start,” she told him, pushing Malcolm ahead of her.

“I didn’t say anything!”

“You were thinking it. Don’t.”

August put his hands up, eyes wide with mocked innocence. Emma shoved Malcolm into the back seat. When she turned around, Hook was gone.

XxXxXxX

Rumplestiltskin jumped when his cell phone rang. It wasn’t loud; in fact, it was in his office and barely audible, but Belle had been trying to cajole him to eat something, and he was on edge. He summoned the phone to his hand and answered, “Gold.”

“Hey, Gold. I just wanted to let you know we got Malcolm,” Emma said.

Rumplestiltskin inhaled deeply. “Thank you for keeping me apprised.”

“David’s probably going to want to talk to you in the next few days, make sure Zelena didn’t leave any more nasty surprises lying around. Right now, it doesn’t look like she wants a trial.”

He swallowed hard. “The Sherriff knows where to find me.”

“‘Night, Gold.”

“Goodnight, Emma.”

XxXxXxX

Belle was worried. Rumple refused to eat a thing all day. He jumped at unexpected noises. When it was time for bed, he held on to Bae like he didn’t want to let him out of his sight.

She understood it, of course. She remembered Regina’s dungeon, and her cell in the hospital. She remembered being unable to sleep and just _needing_ to have Rumple near her. She knew what Archie had called it: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She knew it was to be expected after what Rumple had been through, but it broke her heart to see him suffering like this.

She rubbed his arm comfortingly as Bae’s bedroom door clicked closed behind him. “It’s all right,” she said. “He’s all right.” She knew what Zelena had threatened Rumple with. It was going to take him some time to come to terms with the fact that the threat was over.

“Thank you,” he said, although he’d said it once already, “For taking care of him.” 

She stroked his cheek. “He’s like my own.”

Rumple’s shocked expression melted into a shy, watery smile. He put his hand over hers. “I love you.”

She wrapped her other arm around his shoulders. “I love you too.” She kissed him. He trembled. She bumped her forehead to his. “It’s late. Come to bed.”

“… Very well.”

He pressed her to take the bathroom first. When she emerged, he was dressed his pajamas, slippers, and robe, holding the latter tightly closed up to his throat. “Are you cold?” she asked.

He looked away. “I never realized how draughty this house is. It’s never seen a real winter.”

Belle smiled and sat next him. “I’ll just have to keep you warm, then.”

He inhaled sharply and stood up. “Get in bed. I won’t be long.”

But he was. He was gone for far longer than it should have taken from him to brush his teeth. She was almost ready to get up and knock on the door when he finally emerged. “There you are; I was getting lonely,” she said.

He didn’t look at her. “Apologies.” He very determinedly turned off every light in the room before taking off his robe and climbing into bed. _Is there something he doesn’t want me to see?_ He’d always been insecure about his appearance; even as his maid she’d known that. But he’d never been like this before. 

In the darkness, she felt a gentle touch on her arm. “May I?” he asked hesitantly.

She wasn’t sure what he was asking, but whatever it was, she knew that he needed it. He asked so little from her; if he was asking now, it was only because he knew he couldn’t cope without it. “Of course,” she said.

He turned her on her side and spooned up behind her, holding her so tightly she could feel his rapid heartbeat against her back and the ragged quality of he breath against her neck. _Oh, Rumple._ She lifted her hands up to cover his. 

It wasn’t a comfortable position for sleeping, but he was here, and safe, and needing her more than he ever had. She didn’t know exactly when, but she eventually dropped off. She didn’t dream.

XxXxXxX

Rumplestiltskin didn’t dare sleep.

He knew the voices in his head would tear him apart if he did. He could even lose control, forget that it was Belle and not Zelena beside him. He was dangerous again. 

He listened to Belle’s breathing, waiting for her to sleep. She was tired; these past months had been torment for her as well. He thought of using magic to help her sleep, then shuddered, thinking only of when Zelena had done that to him. He wouldn’t do that to Belle.

Eventually, her breaths deepened and she relaxed in his arms. He smiled as she snored the slightest bit. He’d missed that (not that he would ever tell her that she did it at all).

_You’re a monster. The wicked dragon coiled around your prize. What will she think when she finds out the truth?_

He didn’t know if it was his own thoughts he was hearing or the voices of the dagger. The only defense he had was to drown them out. The room was dark, with no sound but Belle, no sensation that mattered except the feeling of her in his arms. Her hair on his face. Her back against his chest. Her hands, which she had held clasped over his, now relaxed on the mattress, just barely brushing the backs of his fingers. 

It wasn’t enough. He could still hear them. But he held on, hour by hour, counting the ticks of the clock. Every minute that passed was another minute he had not given in. He’d kept his word.

_I won’t do it. I won’t break my word again._

_Coward. Weak. Useless._

_My word is all I have left. You can’t have it!_

_Stubborn fool!_

_Perhaps so. But it’s my choice. MY CHOICE!_

By the time the sunrise started to peek through the curtains, Rumplestiltskin was exhausted. But he’d kept his word. The dagger didn’t control him. And his curse didn’t either.


	29. A New Day

“You’re not eating?” Belle asked as Rumple laid down only two plates of toast and eggs and then retreated to the sink to start the dishes.

“I’m not hungry,” he said quietly. She was starting to hate that phrase.

She’d awoken this morning with him already wide awake and wrapped around her as tightly as he had been the night before. She didn’t think he’d moved at all. He’d dressed and shaved in the bathroom with the door locked and would barely meet her eyes. 

She got up and tried to press her hand to his forehead. “Belle,” he said tightly, pulling back, his eyes pained.

“Are you ill?” she asked.

“No. No, I can’t get sick. You know that.”

“Then, please, eat something.”

“I don’t need to. You know that.”

“You always have before. Why would you stop? Did she… what did Zelena do?” Belle lowered her voice so Baelfire would not hear, but there was no hiding Rumple’s strange behavior. She knew he was worried too.

He flinched and took another step back. “I don’t want to talk about this. I’m fine. Eat before it gets cold.”

“Only if you join us.”

“Belle, I don’t need to.”

She touched his arm. “Yes, you do. Please, Rumple, this isn’t right.”

He looked at her, then glanced at the table where Bae was watching them, concerned. Rumple swallowed. “Fine.”

But as he often did (with others, anyway), he kept to the letter of her request, not the spirit. He took exactly one bite of toast, then picked up his teacup (the chipped one, of course) and nursed it, touching nothing else. “Rumple, please,” Belle prodded.

He put the teacup down and got up without a word. “Rumple!” She moved to go after him, but Bae grabbed her by the wrist. 

“Belle, let it go.”

“But he-”

“Is freaking out because you’re telling him what to do. Not eating for a while isn’t going to hurt him; you know that.”

“Eating makes him more human.”

“Yeah, well, being human hasn’t worked out so well for him so far, has it?”

“Bae…” They hadn’t discussed it. Bae had always believed that the only way they could be happy was if Rumple gave up his curse. Belle had agreed with him. But when it had finally happened (and Rumple’s memories had been restored) a scant few wonderful months had ended with their family torn asunder, and Rumple living out his worst fears. They hadn’t even known if he was alive or dead for a good part of that time. “Bae, it wasn’t your fault.”

“I know.” He looked away.

But she should give Rumple some space. He needed to feel in control; she’d forgotten that in her worry. A few missed meals wouldn’t hurt him. Just as long as it stayed at a few.

He was loading the dishwasher, steadfastly ignoring what had just occurred. His shoulders tensed as she approached him. “I’m sorry, Rumple, I didn’t mean to push you.”

“It’s fine.” It wasn’t fine. He wasn’t fine. _What did she do to you?_ “We need to hurry if we’re going to open the library and the shop on time,” he told her.

“The library… you want to open the shop today?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

_Because you need time to recover._ But that didn’t mean they had to spend the day lying about the house. Belle remembered the first (and only) time August had ever argued with her. During the week they had thought that Archie had been murdered, she’d tried to send Marco home, to take some time to grieve. August had insisted that, “Working is how he copes, OK?”

In that, Marco and Rumple were not dissimilar people. He needed to occupy himself, and the knowledge that his laboratories and accounts hadn’t been maintained properly was probably bothering him to no small end. 

She touched his arm. “All right.”

She and Bae finished up breakfast while Rumple looked for any excuse to keep his hands busy. As Bae packed up his laptop and schoolbooks, Belle retrieved Rumple’s cane and offered it to him. “Do you need this?” Obviously, he didn’t. He was clearly using magic to support his ankle, as he had done in the Enchanted Forest. She’d never known why he’d kept using his cane here after his magic had returned, but she wondered if he felt safer having it (or if he simply felt that it was as much a part of the persona of Mr. Gold as the suits). 

He looked at it, frowning. She tilted it towards him, offering it silently. He caressed the handle hesitantly, then took it. “Thank you,” was all he said.

On their way to the shop, she watched his gait out of the corner of her eye. He didn’t drop the spell on his ankle. She slipped her arm though his, and he titled his head towards her. As they reached Main Street, he stopped cold. “What is he doing out of prison?” he asked. He was staring at her father, who was caught wide-eyed, setting out the sign in front of his flower shop. Then he narrowed his eyes and stormed inside, the door rattling behind him.

“I asked Mary Margaret to release him,” she admitted. “With the curse on the town line altered, there wasn’t any chance of him trying to take my memories again. And it didn’t seem right to me that Hook and Smee were free and he was not.” 

“The solution to that is to send Hook and Smee back to prison; not release a man that kidnapped you.”

“Talk to Mary Margaret,” Bae said dryly. “You know she doesn’t like doing that kind of thing.”

Rumple snorted. “I’m well aware. Have they approached you? Any of them?”

“My father thanked me when he was released, but I told him that unless he could accept you in my life I did not want to see him. He hasn’t approached me since,” Belle said, taking Rumple’s hand. 

He squeezed it. “Sweetheart…” he trailed off.

“Hook tried to get into Emma’s pants by trying to help us.” Bae said. “I think she was finally able to chase him off after the thing with her magic.”

“I see. And no sign of Smee?”

Bae chuckled. “Mary Margaret is making him go to school; that’s all I know.”

Rumple actually smiled at that. “Is she now?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, all magic comes with a price. Mr. Smee should have remembered that.”

They started walking again, exchanging brief greetings with Archie (and Pongo) and stopping again in front of the library. Rumple looked at her expectantly. “Oh no, Rumple, I was going to stay with you today,” Belle said.

“You’re not going to open the library?” he asked with a puzzled frown.

“Anna’s been opening it for me until Nova arrives from the animal shelter, and then August has been taking the late afternoon and evenings. The new curse changed the staffing budget; I can afford to pay them all, now.”

“But… it’s your library.” 

“It’s all right; I’d rather spend the day with you.”

He seemed genuinely unable to process what she was saying. “You’re sure?”

She rubbed his cheek. “Do you want me to stay here?”

“No, I… I’m sorry.” He took a step back and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m not thinking very clearly today.”

“You’ve been through a lot. I would like to check in with Anna and Nova for a little bit later in the morning, but that won’t take long.”

“What about the puppet?”

“He has a name,” she scolded teasingly. “And he’s closing early because of the naming ceremony tonight; I can talk to him there.”

“It seems you have it well in hand then.”

“Mhm.” She took his arm again. “Come on.”

XxXxXxX

Emma kicked the door of the Sherriff’s station closed behind her. Malcolm was… she didn’t know what Malcolm was. She knew what he claimed he was, but her instincts told her it was a lie. It was just too contrived. Too… impossible. But her instincts had been known to be wrong - that had been the point of honing her superpower. And now it was gone.

She’d never wanted magic powers, but now that she’d lost them, it felt wrong. Or maybe it was a sign. She’d never really been a part of this world, and she certainly didn’t belong in it now. Let Regina deal with the next witch or monster or whatever. The former Evil Queen was eager to make amends, and she not only had the power but the knowledge. Emma didn’t.

But Henry wanted to stay. He assumed they were staying. And David and Mary Margaret…

Emma ended up in front of Gold’s shop. It was open.

She hadn’t known if it would be. He’d looked like hell yesterday, and she knew how worried Bae and Belle had been. She wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d decided to take a few days. 

But Gold was Gold, and he kept to schedules. She went inside.

“Emma,” Bae greeted. He had his schoolbooks out in front of him, Gold standing next to him. Belle poked her head out from behind the curtain.

“Hello, Emma,” she said.

“Hey. Um, I saw you were open. I was, ah, wondering if I could ask you some questions, Gold.”

“About what?” His tone was mild, and he was as impeccably dressed as he always was, but she could see the tension in his shoulders. 

“It’s kind of personal. Think we could have a minute?” Bae and Belle exchanged a glance.

Belle walked up to Gold and put her hand on his arm. They had a silent conversation that ended with Gold pulling out some cash. “Why don’t you and Bae pick out some cookies from the bakery? I’m sure we won’t be long.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes, sweetheart.” He kissed her cheek. She kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his him. 

“We’ll be right back.”

He closed his eyes briefly. “Of course.”

Bae hugged him too, before they left. “We’ll be back soon, Papa.” The shop may be open, but they weren’t OK. Emma shifted uncomfortably.

On their way out, Belle gave her a look that asked her to be kind. Bae just smiled at her. 

XxXxXxX

“What can I do for you, Miss Swan?” Rumplestiltskin asked after Bae let the door close behind him. He’d braced his hands on the counter, his arms spread wide. He trusted Emma more than most (which wasn’t saying much, really), but he was not about to let her see him as anything other than in total control.

“How are you doing?”

He looked at her shrewdly. “That wasn’t what you wanted to ask me.”

“No. But how are you?”

She meant it. He didn’t know what to do with that. He deflected. “A hell of a lot better than I was two days ago.”

She nodded. “Good.”

“So what did you need?”

“I’ve been interrogating Malcolm.”

Rumplestiltskin went very still. “Did he tell you anything significant?”

“Maybe, if it’s true. That’s why I’m here.”

“And what was it?”

“Is he your father?”

He could lie. Her magic was sealed away (not gone, he knew - it was impossible to destroy magic), and without it, she would not have her little superpower. But his family knew the truth, and they were her friends. She would learn it eventually. He wondered if that was what Malcolm was counting on.

_You can stop her. You have the power. She has no right to interfere with your plans._

“Yes,” he said. “He is.”

“And you didn’t mention that before, why?”

“It wasn’t relevant.”

“The hell it wasn’t!”

His showed her his teeth. “Tell me, Miss Swan, in what way is it relevant? In what way would you have changed your strategy against Pan if you had known that information?” She glared at him. “I thought so. And for what it’s worth, I did not know how much of Malcolm remained in Pan until we found him in Neverland. He was transformed in every way when he made his deal with the Shadow; that was the point of it.”

She put her hands on her hips, glaring at the floor. “He said he was your prisoner for a while before Zelena got to him.”

“Aye.”

“What did he tell you?”

“Little of value.”

“What about Henry? How did he know about him? Where did he get his picture?”

“To Zelena, he confessed that his information came from the Shadow.” 

“How would the Shadow know?”

“If I had to guess…”

“Guess!”

“A god. Most likely, it was part of the plan. If Bae was meant to be Henry’s father, is was imperative that he be taken to Neverland. Otherwise, he would have…” Rumplestiltskin choked on the word. _Died._ “…Aged long before he could meet you.”

“Wait, if the plan goes back that far, how was Regina able to throw it off?”

“No idea. Perhaps they did not anticipate her hatred of Tinker Bell. Or perhaps another god interfered.”

“Goddammit. Wait, Zelena asked him? Why? Did she want Henry for something?”

“No. She asked me about Reul Ghorm’s motivations. I could not help but answer. When she heard that gods were involved, she wanted to know which ones. It seems she had a run-in with Hades at some point.”

“Hades? Could he be behind all this? Could he want something with Henry?”

“Possibly. But I will tell you that Reul Ghorm would never willingly serve him. If he is behind it, he deceived her more skillfully than she deceived us. After all, her deception was discovered.”

“After it was too late,” Emma muttered.

“Are you sure? We don’t know her ultimate goal was.”

She sighed. “Point. We don’t know anything. That’s the problem.”

“Yes,” he agreed.

She sighed again. “What about Ingrid?”

“What about her?”

“Why does she have my picture?”

“I don’t know.”

“Guess. Your guesses are worth more than most people’s facts,” she said dryly. He almost smiled at that.

“I’d guess that she wants you as her replacement sister. You have magic-”

“Had magic.”

He didn’t correct her; there would be time for that later. “A recent development. And if I recall…” He summoned the Arendelian heraldry book that had been found in the library. He flipped to the end of the royal family tree. “Well, there is a bit of resemblance, isn’t there?” He turned it around and showed it to her. 

Emma traced her finger around the image. “So she thinks I’m Helga? And Elsa is Gerda?”

“Oh, no, they didn’t have magic. She actually blames that for their relationship ending the way it did. That’s why she is not interested in Anna; like Ingrid’s actual sisters, she does not have magic.”

“What happened between them?”

“During a confrontation between them, Ingrid lost control of her powers and inadvertently caused Helga’s death. In retaliation, Gerda sealed her inside the urn and erased every memory of both of her sisters from the entire kingdom of Arendele.”

“That’s… extreme. Are you sure Ingrid is the evil one?”

He smirked. “I’m not sure evil is the right word. Short-sighted. Selfish. But Gerda never took pleasure in what she did. Nor did Ingrid, for that matter, until her imprisonment.”

“Evil’s not born, it’s made.”

“Exactly.” It was a pity, really. If Ingrid had agreed to apprentice with him, she never would have lost control. Of course, her sisters might have ended up rejecting her anyway; his apprentices were rarely popular with high society.

“What do you think we should do with her?”

“Watch her closely. Anna forewarned us of her interest in the Spell of Shattered Sight, but there are other things she could try. With you and Elsa both here, if she is planning something, it will be soon.”

“Regina thinks that she is, thinks we threw off whatever it was.”

“That could make her more dangerous instead of less.”

“I know. Elsa wants me to go with her to get her memories back today.”

“That could be informative. Or extremely unwise.”

Emma sighed, bracing her hands on the counter. “Right. So you really have no new information on which gods are involved in all this?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“What if Henry and I left town? Could that stop… whatever?” 

“You know the answer to that. The Sorcerer’s magic extends beyond the boundaries of Storybrooke; do you expect to the gods to be less powerful than that? And one of their creations has already found you once.”

“Right.”

“So you are considering leaving town?” he asked mildly. 

“Thinking about it. Aren’t you? Bae said that was the plan… before.”

“It was. But plans may be… disrupted. What does Henry think of this plan of yours?”

“He’s taking it as a given that we’re staying.”

“He done that before, as I recall. Ultimately, his faith was rewarded.”

“That was then. Things have changed.”

He inclined his head. “I’m aware.”

She tapped her fingers impatiently on the glass. It seemed that she had said her piece, but she appeared reluctant to leave. That was unusual - typically, those who dealt with him where only too eager to be quit of him. 

“May I offer you some advice?” he asked.

“What will is cost me?”

He smirked. “Only your attention.”

She sighed again. “Fine. Shoot.” 

He looked down at his weary reflection in the glass. “A… great deal of suffering could have been avoided if I had listened to Bae.” He didn’t know why he was telling her this. Maybe it was because his curse was screaming at him not to.

She looked at him. He met her eyes, seeing more uncertainty there than rightly belonged to the Savior. “This isn’t the same,” she said.

“For your sake, I should hope not. It is an observation only; do with it what you will.”

She nodded absently. “Thanks, Gold.” She left.

XxXxXxX

In the end, Regina was asked to accompany Elsa and Anna to Ingrid’s home. Emma had explained Rumplestiltskin’s theory, and Anna had immediately declared that he must be right. They had all agreed that bringing Emma would simply be too risky. 

Not that bringing Regina wasn’t risky. If she and Ingrid came to blows, Elsa knew that they could devastate the town. And her own magic was still touched by the curse of the Dark One; she wouldn’t be able to stop them. Regina also had an agenda. Her friend Maleficent was still missing, and she seemed to think that Ingrid might know what happened to her. 

For everyone’s sake, Elsa hoped that Ingrid would simply cooperate. 

“I’ll get the bell,” Anna declared, jumping in front of Elsa.

“Are we sure this is a good idea?” Kristoff asked.

“Trust me, she’s up to something. I will figure out what it is,” Regina said.

“ _We_ will figure out what it is,” Anna insisted. Regina rolled her eyes, and Anna rang the bell.

Through the glass, they saw Ingrid enter the room and pause before gesturing the door to open. “Elsa,” she said from across the room. “It’s good to see you.”

“I’m here for my memories,” she said. “And Regina has some questions for you.”

“From what you said yesterday, I was expecting the Sherriff,” Ingrid said coldly.

“The Sherriff is busy,” Regina said bluntly.

“With what?”

“His new baby.”

Ingrid frowned. “Emma hasn’t taken the position back? Why not?”

“That’s not really your business, is it?”

“What do you want with Emma?” Anna asked. “You want her as your other replacement sister, don’t you? To replace Helga, the sister that you _killed._ ”

“It was an accident,” Ingrid said tightly.

Regina snorted. “I’ve heard that before.”

“It was. I didn’t have full control over my powers at that time; you can ask Rumplestiltskin if you don’t believe me.”

“We will!” Anna said.

“Please,” Elsa said. “You said you would return my memories.”

Ingrid looked down. “Yes, I did. I’m sure Anna has told you everything by now, the way she saw it.”

“Of course I have. Because Elsa is my sister. My real sister.”

Ingrid conjured a rounded stone. “You don’t understand. People like you never understand.”

“You mean people with magic?” Regina said. “I’ve got magic. Try me.”

Ingrid glared at her, then lifted the stone up on her flat palm. The memories flowed into Elsa, and she could suddenly recall everything. She stumbled. Anna caught her. “Are you all right?” she asked, glaring at Ingrid. “Did she do it? Because I wouldn’t put it past her to give you fake memories, or something else awful. I knew we shouldn’t have come here-”

“Anna, it’s fine. I remember everything now, happening just like you said. And yes, think Rumplestiltskin is right too. She wants sisters with magic; she doesn’t think anyone else can understand.”

Regina had her arms crossed as she looked at Ingrid. “I don’t suppose the name Maleficent rings a bell? She has magic, and she’s blonde. Did you try to recruit her? Did you seal her up somewhere when she said ‘no’?”

“I have never met Maleficent, although I know her reputation. You were friends at one point, until you betrayed her. Do I have that right?”

“No, you don’t. We’re _still_ friends. And she was looking for you when she disappeared. If I found out you did something to her-”

“Let me speak to Emma. She will tell you that I am telling the truth.”

Regina smirked cruelly. “Not anymore, she won’t.”

“What do you mean?” Ingrid demanded. “Did you do something to her? Tell me!”

“Not her,” Kristoff said. “Zelena. She took her magic away.”

“That’s impossible!”

“It’s true,” Elsa said. “Her magic is gone.” Ingrid looked at them, horrified. “And mine has been corrupted. We can’t be the sisters you want.”

“Corrupted? How?”

“Zelena. She resurrected the curse of the Dark One. It touched me before Rumplestiltskin took it back.”

“Zelena… no. No, this can’t be.” She sagged against the back of the couch.

“It’s over,” Regina said. “Whatever plan you had is done. If you know where Maleficent is, tell me now. If I find out later you lied to me, things will not go well for you.”

“I don’t know,” Ingrid said. “Perhaps that was Zelena’s doing as well,” she added wryly. “Now, please, unless you have a warrant, I want you to leave.”

Regina pursed her lips. “Don’t go anywhere.”

“We’ll be watching you,” Anna added, pointing her fingers at her eyes and then back at Ingrid. Elsa nothing. She couldn’t trust Ingrid, not after everything she’d done. But sitting there, she seemed broken somehow. Like Zelena had destroyed the only hope she’d had left.

Once they had the means to travel to Arendele, Elsa would demand that Ingrid travel with them to undo her spell. But until they had those means, it was a moot point. Ingrid, her shoulders still bowed, looked up through her hair and made eye contact. Elsa swallowed and turned away.

XxXxXxX

If you asked Malcolm, it was all terribly unfair. He’d been free not but a few hours until he’d run into Captain Bloody Hook of all people. Who’d known his face, thanks to Rumple. _That little brat._

But he would find a way out of this; he always did. As far as cells went, this one was nicer than most of the rooms he had actually paid to sleep in. It was clean and heated with plenty of light. He had a real bed to himself and three rich meals a day. The so-called Savior had looked at him like he was daft when he’d asked how long his gold (she’d taken it, with his other personal effects) would cover him for. She’s said that the laws of this land required that prisoners be fed, regardless of their ability to pay. She’d even offered him books, like Rumple’s little tart hard. These people were soft-hearted. He’d be able to use that, once he found a way out.

Now, if only the witch would stop pacing. 

“I would be much obliged, my lady, if you would take a seat,” He said. “It’s bloody hard to think with you stomping about like that.”

“Don’t you understand? It’s over! My power is gone, just like yours! I failed! Regina won! She always gets everything! Everything that should have been mine!”

He groaned and slumped against the bars. Perhaps this was the torture, to be subject to the witch’s yammering for hours on end. 

He felt a cold whisper in the air and looked up. A stately blonde woman in a white gown was standing in front of their cells. She crackled with power. He stood up and smiled charmingly at her. “Hello, milady.”

She glanced at him briefly without turning her head, then directed her attention back to Zelena. The red-head was inching backwards. “What are you doing here?” she asked nervously.

“I’m here to avenge my sisters.”

“Your sisters - I never met your sisters!”

“Yes you did. You corrupted Elsa’s beautiful power with the curse of the Dark One. And you _took_ Emma’s. And, of course, you trapped me in Pandora’s Box. But I’m not here about that.”

The blonde gestured, and the door of Zelena’s cell swung open. “Please, please, I’m powerless! I’m no harm to anyone now...” she begged.

“The damage has been done.” A long, thin icicle formed in the blonde’s hand.

“Please, have mercy!”

The blonde cocked her head as she entered the cell. “Did you?” 

“I did! I could have killed them-”

“Not true,” Malcolm offered. Both women looked at him. He shrugged. “A flying monkey hears things.”

The blonde smiled. Zelena shook her head, “Please, no.” Smiling softly, the blonde ran the fingertips of her left hand along Zelena’s cheek. “Please.”

Zelena grunted as the blonde then drove the icicle through her heart. The Wicked Witch turned into some form of ceramic then crumbled to dust. “How odd,” the blonde said, as the dust disappeared.

Malcolm smiled at her; she was his ticket out of here. “What is your name, milady?”

She turned to him, tilting her head in consideration. “Ingrid. And what is yours?”

“Malcolm. I don’t supposed you’d be willing to release me. I did help you, after all.”

“That depends, Malcolm.”

He smiled charmingly. “On what?”

“On why you’re in that cell. No other prisoner or flying monkey was arrested, only you. Why?”

“The Dark One told the rulers of this place that I colluded with Zelena.”

“And did you?”

“She tricked me, turned me into a flying monkey, and killed my lieutenant.”

“And all the heroes of this town, they simply took the Dark One at his word? No, there’s another reason. You deserve to be in that cell, don’t you?”

He looked at the icicle in her hand. “Maybe we both do, lassie.”

She looked at it smirking. Then she took a step closer. “The Dark One singled you out. Why? Who are you to him?”

Malcolm shrugged. “His father.”

She was intrigued. “His father? My, you’ve aged well.”

“Neverland has many advantages.” 

“Neverland?” she asked, delighted. “You’re Pan. That explains so much. Well, I suppose you could be useful. How about this, I’ll make you a deal. Your freedom for everything you know about the Dark One.”

Malcolm smiled. “Lassie, it would be a pleasure.”


	30. Regression

They were all still on edge. The shock of yesterday had worn off, but even though Bae had slept more peacefully last night than he had in months, he was still bone tired. And he wasn’t the only one.

Papa had wanted to know about his schoolwork. They spent most of the day on it, but they were both just slogging through. Belle chimed in when she could, but she’d spent so much of her time looking for Papa these past months that she hardly had a better idea of where he was at than Papa did.

Lunch had been a bit of a trial, when they could both see that Belle had been struggling not to get on Papa’s case about not eating. He’d had have half of one of the cookies they’d brought back from the bakery, but afterwards he’d looked like he might be ill. Whatever Zelena had done to him, he wasn’t OK.

Perhaps the brightest spot was when Mr. Dove dropped by the shop. He said barely five words, but when Belle had explained how he’d stepped up on managing the rental properties, Papa thanked him with honest sincerity. 

As the afternoon crept on, Papa agreed to go to the naming ceremony for David and Mary Margaret’s new baby, but it was clear he didn’t want to be there. Instead of their usual booth, he ushered them over to the table nearest the door. His shoulders were coiled up with tension, even as he kept his expression confidently bland. 

“Can I bring you some tea?” Belle asked him. They could all see how worried she was. Bae wondered if she had expected everything to instantly be all right once they got Papa back. Bae hadn’t. But then, Bae had been fighting to believe that they would get him back at all.

“If you insist,” Papa replied, trying to be nice about it. Belle kissed his temple.

“I won’t be long.”

August walked in with his father and grandfather. His grandmother was already at the diner, helping Granny. Donna was sweet and hard working like Marco and chatty and outgoing like August. Apparently, that was ideal for a waitress. “Over here!” she called, and Steven and August delivered a pair of covered dishes to refreshment table.

Belle was still fixing the tea and she asked August something, probably library related. He poured a coffee for himself and followed her back to their table. “…until any new books come in, yeah.”

“And what about the classes for the new arrivals?”

August grinned sheepishly. “Once the basics were covered, we tried to move on to cultural literacy. At this point, it’s mostly devolved into rants about what this world got wrong about ours. Anna was not pleased by Hans Christian Anderson’s version of the Snow Queen.”

“If I recall,” Papa said, “He was fairly accurate regarding the spell of Shattered Sight.”

“And pretty much nothing else. So, ah, how are you doing?”

Papa seemed taken aback by August’s question. “Well, thank you,” he said, his tone measured.

“Good. We’ve… what the hell is that?”

Bae and Papa turned around to see what August was staring at. Through the window, they had a clear view of an orange column of light rising high above the town. “That… is a problem,” Papa said, standing up. The rest of the diner looked at them. “Zelena’s time portal has opened.”

“Are you sure? I thought, you know, rules of magic. And all four of her ingredients are right here,” August pointed out.

“Yes, I’m sure,” Papa snapped, looking back at them. “The spell was begun yesterday. Somehow, she has managed to complete it.”

“So… from zero to Cthulhu, how screwed are we?” August asked, eyes wide.

“That depends,” Papa said.

“On what?”

“On Zelena.”

XxXxXxX

“Captain, what’s that?”

“No idea, Smee,” Hook said, eyeing the column of orange light. And he didn’t. But whatever it was, Emma was likely to be there. He’d missed the last battle; he wouldn’t miss this one. He took off running.

XxXxXxX

Mary Margaret had sent Emma and Henry on a last minute snack run. Despite the fact that Granny would swear up and down that she had purchased enough chips and dip for the party, they’d been nowhere to be found twenty minutes before the guests were due. Emma’s car had been the closest, so she’d gotten the job by default, Henry jumping in to help.

They were stepping out of the grocery store when they spotted a couple of customers wandering in the parking lot and staring into the sky. Emma turned.

“Mom, what’s that?”

“No idea, Henry, but it doesn’t look good. Go back in the store and call Mary Margaret.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to check it out.”

“Alone? Let me come with you!”

“Kid, are you serious? No! Do as I say. Call Mary Margaret. They’ve got people there that can teleport; if I need back-up, they’ll send someone.”

Henry huffed. “Fine.”

XxXxXxX

Rumplestiltskin could barely breathe by the time they arrived at the Sherriff’s station. Just as he had feared, both cells were empty. He immediately hurried over to examine the cell doors; they were both still locked. “She’s escaped,” he snarled.

_Find her. Kill her!_

“Malcolm’s gone too,” the puppet said.

“Malcolm-” Rumplestiltskin turned to Charming. “You kept him here? With her? You fool!”

“There’s another possibility,” Regina said, her hands on her hips. “You could have done something to them.”

He bared his teeth at her. “If only.”

“You don’t mean that,” Anna said.

“I really do,” Rumplestiltskin replied. His curse laughed.

“Rumple,” Belle said, reaching out to him like he was a nervous animal. “It’s all right.”

“No. No, it isn’t. The time portal is open. She could do _anything._ Change anything. We need to find them. _Now._ ”

“Let’s see what we have on the cameras,” Charming said. They gathered around. The footage showed Zelena pacing in her cell while Malcolm lounged in his and spoke to her. Then they both turned to look at something out of frame and the picture cut to static.

“Well isn’t that convenient,” Regina said dryly. “Clearly, someone paid them a visit.”

“It wasn’t my father,” Bae said. “Look at the timestamp. He’s been with me and Belle all afternoon.”

“All afternoon? He never went to the bathroom?”

“Why are we discussing this?” Rumplestiltskin interrupted, “We need to _find_ them. Where did you hide the pendant, Regina?”

“In my vault. They can’t get in.”

“Your vault protected by blood wards? Zelena shares your blood!”

“I know that; I’m not a complete idiot. I updated the wards. Without you, she can’t break them. But since you insist…” she vanished.

“Rewind the tape,” Bae told Charming. He did. Rumplestiltskin stared at it, searching for any possible clue. 

“They’re obviously looking at something,” Charming said. “Someone must have entered the room and let them out. Or killed them.”

“And took the bodies?” the puppet asked. “Why would they do that?”

“Good point,” Anna agreed.

“Finally, one of you speaks sense,” Rumplestiltskin muttered. He felt around, trying to sense for magic, but he could hardly hear over the chorus of darkness in his head. The only thing he could sense were Elsa’s ice powers, and that likely only because they tended to make themselves known when she was anxious.

_FIND THEM! KILL THEM!_

David got a call from Mary Margaret. Apparently Emma and Henry had seen the portal, and Emma had gone to investigate. At Rumplestiltskin’ suggestion, David called Emma to tell her to keep away from it (and to keep others away as well). David had promised reinforcements and just barely hung up when Regina returned, the pendant in her hand and a fierce frown on her face. “I was right. Someone killed her.”

“How do you know?” Kristoff asked.

“Look.” Regina showed them the pendant. It was cracked down the middle, the magic drained away. “She’s dead. With her body no longer able to act as a tether, the magic in her pendant escaped and fulfilled her last wish - it activated the time portal. Isn’t that right, Rumple?”

_Dead?_

“So where is the body?” the puppet repeated. “And what about Malcolm?”

“Why don’t you tell us?” Regina asked Rumplestiltskin archly.

“I told you Regina, it couldn’t have been him,” Bae repeated.

“You do realize that with his power back, he could tamper with your memories, right?”

“I did not-”

“How dare you?” Belle demanded. “You, of all people, have no right to accuse Rumple of anything!”

“Regina-” Anna objected.

“He attacked her yesterday, if you recall,” Regina said to Anna. Then she turned to Belle. “Or didn’t he mention that to you?” He hadn’t. _Liar. Monster. She’ll never believe you. She could never love anyone as dark as you._

“And yet she made it to the jail alive,” Bae said, his arms crossed.

“Because Anna picked up the dagger.”

“I gave it back!” Anna said. 

“He had it all night,” Elsa pointed out. “He could have done it when Bae and Belle were sleeping. Why wait until now?”

“How should I know?”

“That’s right,” Anna said, “You don’t know. He said he wouldn’t do it. That’s a promise; he doesn’t break those.”

“So what do you think happened to them?”

“We don’t know that Malcolm is dead,” the puppet said. “Maybe he had an accomplice that let him out and they both killed Zelena.”

“What accomplice?”

“Felix,” Bae suggested. “If he was taken by the second curse, it could be him.”

“Zelena killed him,” Rumplestiltskin said. “She traded his life to resurrect the curse of the Dark One.”

“Who else, then?” Belle asked. “Look at their faces on the tape. Zelena was frightened. Malcolm was not.”

“And I’m betting if it had been Gold, he would have been pissing himself,” the puppet added. “Or pretending to.”

_Make him. Find him. Kill him._

“Um, guys?” Charming asked. He’d wandered towards the cells as he had made his calls. Phone still in one hand, he stood up from a crouching position, dangling something from the other. It glittered.

_Spun gold._

They all looked at Rumplestiltskin. “I _didn’t_ kill her,” he hissed.

“Then how did your gold wind up in her cell?” Regina accused.

“I don’t know!” The voices cackled and his heart hammered. He couldn’t _think._ “Zelena could have had it with her. She made me spin for her.”

“Surely our former sheriff searched her before putting her in that cell?” 

The puppet answered. “Yeah, but-”

“I didn’t kill her!”

“Of course you didn’t,” Belle said, touching his arm. He shook it off, the warmth from her hand suffocating just then. _How dare they challenge you? Show them the Dark One. Show them your power!_

He was dangerously close to losing control. “Papa?” Bae asked carefully.

“I didn’t do it, Bae! We have a deal!”

“Let’s just calm down,” Charming said. “We can figure this out.”

_See? They will never trust you. They will never accept you. They will never believe you. You are nothing to them._

Rumplestiltskin bared his teeth and growled, “You are _not_ locking me up again.”

Before they could respond, he disappeared to the shop.

XxXxXxX

“Papa!”

“Rumple!”

“What the hell were you doing?” Baelfire barked at Regina. “Since when do you even care if someone dies?”

“So you think I did it?” she snapped defensively. “She was my sister!”

“I didn’t say that, but now that you bring it up…”

“Uh, guys,” August raised his hand, “Am I the only one who is worried about the time portal of doom? Emma’s there, and she needs back-up.”

“I’ll go,” said Elsa said.

“Go,” David said. “The others will be right behind you.”

Regina nodded once then turned back to Bae. “If Rumple didn’t do it, why did he run?”

“Why did you? You’ve been falsely accused of murder before!” Bae shot back.

“Good point,” August said.

“Stop it!” Anna shouted. “This isn’t helping anything!” 

“And actually,” August said, “I think I know where the gold might have come from. I mean, if that really is the biggest issue right now. Emma said that Malcolm had some of it on him when she brought him in last night. If this was part of a larger plan, could it have been his? Maybe he got captured on purpose.”

“I’ll check the evidence locker,” Charming said. “If his stuff is gone, he must be in on it.”

“See?” Belle said to Regina. “Rumple didn’t do it.” She pulled out her phone and started to dial.

“Then who did?”

“What about Ingrid?” Anna asked. “She does things like this, and there was something off about her today. I don’t care what Elsa says, she’s up to something.”

Regina went very still. “Damn it.”

“August was right,” David said, merging from the office. “Malcolm’s effects are gone.”

Seething, Bae glared at Regina. “You have your suspects. Now, I’m going to find my father. Go deal with the portal. And stay away from us.”

“He’s not picking up his phone,” Belle said, worried.

“Try the house. I’ll check the shop.”

“OK.” As they turned to go, Belle glared back at Regina, “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

Regina huffed, looking away.

“He’ll be OK!” Anna called. Tearfully, Belle looked back at her and nodded once. Then they were out the door. Belle took Bae’s hand and squeezed it briefly before they hurried in the opposite directions.

When he got to the shop, Bae found it in shambles. “Papa? Papa, please answer if you’re here!”

He wasn’t. He’d clearly taken his cane to the display cases, and Bae found the back room ransacked. His father’s traveling potion bag was open in the center of the table. Most of the vials were still there, but all the tracking potion was gone. _He’s looking for Malcolm._

Bae had no idea how he intended to do that without a personal item. _Did he have one? Where would he get one?_ Not knowing what else to do, Bae called Belle.

“Bae?”

“He was here. He took the tracking potion and left. I think he’s going after Malcolm.”

“Did he take it all? We could use some to track him.”

“Yeah, it’s all gone. Let me call Tink; maybe she’ll have something. We’ll meet you at the house, OK?”

“OK.”

“It’s going to be all right, Belle.” He had to believe that. It wasn’t rage he’d seen in his father’s face; it was panic. He made bad decisions when he was panicked.

“I know,” Belle said. Bae took and couple deep breaths and was about to hang up when Belle said, “Bae...”

“What?”

“The portal is gone. Look.”

Bae ran to the front of the shop. They sky was empty. “What does this mean?”

“It means we have to find you father.”

XxXxXxX

Armed with the tracking potion, Rumplestiltskin approached Zelena’s farmhouse. If there existed any personal possession of Malcolm’s in Storybrooke, it would be there. He’d already tried crystal balls, but his father was shielded. Whoever his accomplice was, they had magic.

He stopped when he reached the storm cellar. It sat there innocuously, mocking him. His teeth were clenched so hard his jaw ached. He turned and blasted the door open while his curse egged him on.

_Burn! Destroy! Make them fear you!_

He looked inside, somehow expecting to find Malcolm hiding there. It was empty except for the cage. The smell of earth and musty straw nearly knocked him to his knees. _Weak! Pathetic! Nothing!_

“No.” He refused to kneel.

The puppet had asked him once if the Dark One had the power to annihilate objects from existence, like the character Dr. Manhattan. Smirking, Rumplestiltskin had explained that he could, but that it was a grossly inefficient waste of power. Right now, his power felt like it would tear even his immortal body to pieces if it did not fine some release. 

Rumplestiltskin raised his hand and curled his fingers as if harvesting a heart. A swirling orb of raw magic grew inside the cellar, slowing expanding, consuming everything it touched. It grew, breaking the cellar and surrounding Earth down to their base elements. When the very last trace of the cellar was gone, he released his spell, leaving a perfect hemisphere carved out of the ground, partially filled with sand and ash.

Panting, he stumbled back. He swiped at his eyes, finding them wet. Leaning on his cane, he continued on to the house.

His phone rang again. This was the third time. He knew Belle must be angry. Probably disgusted. He was acting like a madman, and he knew it, but he just couldn’t stop. He had to find Malcolm. He let it ring.

Nothing was out of place. The house was the same, Zelena’s ideal domestic fantasy.

_She’s beyond your reach now. You can’t make her pay. She will always own you._

He blasted the dining room table to splinters.

_What are you doing, you useless fool? There’s nothing of Malcolm’s here. You can’t track him. You can’t stop him. He will take everything from you; he always does._

He tore the house apart. There was nothing of Malcolm’s. There was even very little that was truly Zelena’s. The house was a prop, a stage, nothing more. There was nothing left, nothing but to wait until Malcolm revealed himself. He stumbled out of the door, and looked towards the west. The beam of light that marked the time portal was gone. 

Enraged, he turned on the farmhouse. He set it aflame. He watched it burn as he listened to his heart pound and waited for whatever twisted future would come.

XxXxXxX

Elsa teleported as close to the portal as she dared but still ended up nearly a block away. Wishing she’d worn boots instead of flats to the party, she jogged towards it, looking around for Emma. She spotted the yellow car pulling up to the barn just as a figure in black sprinted across the property towards it. Elsa started running.

Emma got out of the car and urgently spoke to the man in black. Elsa had just recognized him as Hook when the barn started to shudder and the doors blew open. She tried to teleport both Emma and the pirate away, but the portal was giving off too much magic for hers to reach them before it sucked them in.

“No!”

XxXxXxX

They landed hard. “Blast!” Killian said. “So much for your plan to set up a parameter.”

Emma was looking around, awed. “Are we…?”

“In the Enchanted Forest? Aye. The only question is when.”

“I think I have an idea,” she said, eye wide. He followed her gaze.

A fresh wanted poster for Snow White was pinned to a tree trunk. 

“Blast,” Killian said again.

XxXxXxX

Of all the people to be trapped in the past with, Emma would have chosen anyone other than Killian Jones. OK, almost anyone. As they watched Regina’s past evil self menace a village full of people Emma knew (she even spotted a still wooden August cowering behind his father), her first thought was gratitude that she’d made Henry stay behind. He didn’t need to see shit like this. Ever. _This kind of thing never happens in New York._

Hook had at least kept enough of a level head to stop her when she tried to interfere. It made her sick that she couldn’t stop it, but he had been correct: Regina, Belle, everyone had been very clear that changing anything could endanger the future. Henry’s future.

Emma tried to tell herself that the woman Regina had captured was effectively already dead. It didn’t help much. “Wait, what are you doing?” she asked as Hook snuck up to an unattended clothesline and started robbing it.

“If we’re to minimize our impact here, you need to blend in. If the Evil Queen spots you, we’re done.”

“How do you figure that?”

“She could recognize your face when you first arrive in Storybrooke. Then she kills you, the curse never breaks, and I’m stuck in the Enchanted Forest with Cora for an indeterminate amount of time,” he drawled.

“How terrible for you,” she deadpanned. “But I thought we just established that changing anything could change the future, don’t touch that!”

“Then what do you suggest we do?”

“We call Gold. If anyone can get us home, it’s him.”

“And what if you’re spotted on the way to his castle?”

“I didn’t say walk, I said _call._ Come on, we just need to find a deserted spot in the woods to summon him.”

“You know how to summon him?”

“Yes. All you need is his name and to be desperate. And trust me, I’m desperate.”

“And if you’re spotted before he appears?”

“By what, a squirrel? We’re going in the opposite direction of people. Put that stuff back and follow me. And don’t touch _anything._ ” Grudgingly, he followed. 

Unfortunately, he’d been right to doubt her plan.

“Rumplestiltskin!” Emma shouted for the fifth time.

“He’s not coming, love,” Hook said, sighing.

“So what do we do now?”

“We travel to his castle. The Dark One does not ignore trespassers on his lands.”

“Yeah, I get the feeling that usually ends with the trespassers turned into snails.”

Hook shrugged. “Likely so. But you were right about one thing, Swan; the Dark One is our best chance to make it home. You’ll just have to talk fast.”

“Me? Why not you?”

“Because he’s not likely to give me a chance to talk at all.”

Emma sighed. “Point. Do you even know where his castle is?”

“Aye. But first, we need to do something about your clothes.”

“No, no touching things, remember? For all we know, you’ll end up stealing something that some peasant traded to my mother, and then she’ll get caught by Regina or something like that. If we’re seen, tell them I’m you’re first mate from a far off land or something. Pirates dress unconventionally, don’t they?”

Hook sighed again. “Fine.”

XxXxXxX

It was official, this universe was conspiring against them. First Gold hadn’t responded to their call. Then their path took them right into what would have been David and Mary Margaret’s first meeting. Emma had stepped on a branch at just the wrong time, startling her mother, who ran off instead of robbing the carriage like she was supposed to.

They ran. Once she and Hook were out of earshot of the carriage, Emma shouted, “Rumplestiltskin! Where the hell are you?!”

“Why, right here, dearie.” Emma spun around. _Holy crap, August was right; he looks just like Yogurt from Spaceballs._ And he was making weird, flamboyant gestures and giggling like a lunatic. And he was dressed… eccentrically. “Where the hell have you been? Why didn’t you answer me before?”

Gold blinked at her. “This is the first time I’ve heard you call me name, my dear. Are you sure you were pronouncing it correctly?”

“You said that didn’t matter.”

He looked at her shrewdly. “Have we met? I think I would remember someone dressed like that.” He did a thing with his fingers that reminded Emma of Edna Mode, and Emma was just so done with this place.

“Yes! I mean, not yet. But we will.”

He danced close to her, peering at her obnoxiously. “Have you hit your head, recently, dearie? Or are you just daft? It would explain why you’re with the pirate.” Emma looked at Hook. Gold had frozen him in place, his hand poised half way to his sword.

“Let him go,” she said. “He’s not here to fight.”

“I’m afraid it doesn’t matter why he’s here, only that he is. And that he will not be much longer,” Gold giggled. Hook started choking.

_Right, casual murder._ “If you don’t want to completely fuck up the relationship you’ve been rebuilding with your son for the past two years, you will let him go!”

He charged her impossibly fast, stopping mere inches from her face. “What do you know about my son?!” he snarled. Hook dropped to the ground, gasping.

“His name is Baelfire. He’s a good kid who’s been through hell. You’re engineering a curse to bring everyone to Ear- the Land Without Magic in order to find him. And you will. Find him.”

Gold stared at her with his weird lizard eyes, panting through blackened teeth. “You mean to tell me…”

“Yeah. We’re from the future.”

“Impossible! No one has ever successfully completed the spell.”

“Well, someone cracked it. Zelena. I think you might know her.”

“Zelena.” He stepped back, dazed. “Bae. I find Bae?” Everything about him here was unfamiliar - except the expression on his face. It was the same one he’d worn yesterday when Anna had offered him her phone. _The Book said Balefire kept him human. I guess so._

“Yeah. And I know that’s a future you want to happen. So please, help us.”

He stared at her, still openly vulnerable, then narrowed his eyes dangerously. “And how do I know you’re telling the truth? If you’re from the future, why is _he_ still alive?” Gold pointed to Killian.

“Because your son is a better man than you or I could ever be,” Killian croaked. “He asked you to spare my life. And you did.” Gold looked at him then back to Emma.

“Please,” Emma said. “You have to believe us. I’m the one who breaks the curse. I’m the product of True Love.”

“But that’s just a theory, part of my plans…”

“So how could I know that if I’m not who I say I am? And you can test me, my bloodline. I am the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Charming?”

“Er, David. James. David posing as James. It’s complicated.”

“I know. I arranged it.” He still didn’t seem to quiet believe her, but she could hardly blame him. This whole thing was insane. More insane than just about anything that had happened in Storybrooke. New York wasn’t insane. New York was safe. _Until a flying monkey shows up._

As she suggested, he plucked one of her hairs, doing that testing thing she’d seen him do to Henry. She thought of Henry and the discussion she’d had with Gold earlier that day. _Could the universe actually be against us? Was this part of the plan all along?_

That was too big a possibility to contemplate. But it all seemed so contrived. Zelena’s portal suddenly activating and pulling Emma in - with Hook of all people. Gold being unable to hear her. Stumbling into her parents’ first meeting. She was suddenly angry.

Gold looked at the green-filled vial in his hand and then back to her. There was that damn hope in his eyes again. He wanted to believe her. Then he hid it under another rictus grin. “So you are who you say you are. The question is: what do you want me to do?”

“Send us back,” Emma said. “And… we changed something.”

He sighed, disgusted. “Of course you did. What was it? Nothing world-shattering, I hope.”

“Actually, yeah. We interrupted my parents’ first meeting.”

His look of how-stupid-are-you was familiar as well.


	31. And Back Again

To Killian, this adventure felt somehow familiar. The Dark One’s posturing and cruel jabs were to be expected, of course, but it was conspiring with Emma to get Snow to the ball to meet her prince that rang somehow true to him.

Was it that she reminded him of Milah? She wasn’t aware of it, but the Dark One had dressed her in clothing very similar to Milah’s before sending them off to make contact with Snow White. He’d even given Killian an evil smile as he’d done it.

But no. In the midst of an adventure, Emma and Milah were very different people. Both brave, yes, but Emma was fighting for her family. Milah had fought for herself. Killian didn’t know why, but somehow he felt that he and Emma must be fated for one another. 

Or maybe it was jealousy. Emma’s idea of creating a necessary distraction had involved boldly approaching Killian’s past self to flirt with him. She’d never flirted with _him_ like that - not so brazenly.

_It’s a lie, you fool. Get back to the task as hand._

He secured the ship and made the required deal with Snow.

And then his past self came stumbling in, getting far too handsy with Emma. At least Killian got to knock the blackguard out.

XxXxXxX

Watching Hook rescue Emma from, well, Hook, elevated this whole adventure to another level of surreal. And he was contrite about his past self’s actions; that was even weirder.

“I know how to handle drunks,” she said. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Aye, I did. Any lout that behaves that way towards a lady deserves what he gets.”

She stared at him. “Are you serious? You’ve been creeping on me since you arrived in Storybrooke, and _now_ you draw the line?”

“I didn’t touch you back in Storybrooke.”

“You tried to kiss me,” she said flatly.

He grimaced. _Forgot about that, didn’t you?_ “That… was different.”

“How, other than the fact that there were two dozen witnesses and you weren’t drunk?”

He looked away. “I took ‘no’ for an answer.”

“And that guy back there wouldn’t have?” She took a step back, gaping at him. “Holy crap, I can’t believe I was actually starting to… to tolerate you!” 

“I was a different man, then.”

“How so? You stole Gold’s dagger and tried to kill him in front of his kid and girlfriend, _that night_!”

“But I didn’t follow through. I saved Regina’s life instead, and all our lives. That man back there would not have made the same decision.” 

“And that’s supposed to make it OK? You tried to kill Belle and August! You kidnapped and tortured Archie! But suddenly I’m supposed to just trust you because you only _almost_ killed Gold and didn’t assault me? Get the hell away from me!” She stormed off in the direction of the castle. Hook grabbed her arm.

She spun around, smacking him across the face. “Don’t. Touch. Me!”

“Problem, dearie?”

“Goddam, don’t do that!” she snarled at Gold. She was trapped in the past with a creeper rapist; she didn’t need the Dark One’s twittering insanity on top of it (seriously, she was never going to complain about Gold’s Storybrooke snark ever, ever again).

He giggled. “Must I save the fair princess from the terrible pirate?”

“Don’t you start! Have you found a way to send us back?”

“I may have.”

“May have?” 

“There is a wand I managed to… acquire a bit ago. It’s said to have the power to recreate any magic. With a little work, I should be able use it to recreate the portal that sent you here.”

Emma sighed. “That’s the best news I’ve had all day. What should we do in the meantime? How do we know that my mother will be able to steal the ring?”

“I’m so glad you asked.” He flicked his fingers, and a pristine paper card appeared between them. He handed it to her. “An invitation for the ball, so the two of you can keep an eye on her while I work.”

“The two of us? No one is supposed to see us, especially me! And he’ll probably get arrested on sight!”

He twittered again. “Not to worry, dearie, I never leave anything to chance.” More finger waving, and Emma’s lady pirate gear transformed into a dramatic, red gown. Gold clapped his hands in glee. “The Savior can’t come this far and not play princess for a day! I’m only sorry I couldn’t provide you with a better prince.” He leaned towards her conspiratorially. “There’s a blade in your garter if you need it.”

She laughed despite herself; maybe the only way to get through this was to simply embrace the madness. She lifted her skirts. “Thanks, but wasn’t the point not to stand out? If anyone remembers my face, that could be a problem.”

More giggling. Seriously, she was not going to let Gold hear the end of this when she got back. He conjured a mirror and showed her their reflections; neither she nor Hook were at all recognizable. “All part of the glamor spell,” Gold preened. 

She looked from the reflection back to Gold. “Could you use this on yourself?”

“Yes, of course. Do it all the time, makes the reveal that much more fun!”

Gold and fun - that was a concept. “Maybe you should be my prince.”

“What?” He gaped.

“What?! Swan!” Hook squawked.

“You don’t know this yet, but you’ve backed me up more times than I’m probably even aware of. I trust you a hell of a lot more than I trust him.” She hitched her thumb towards Hook.

Gold looked at her, equal parts baffled and flattered. Hook, of course, objected. “Swan! He’s not the Dark One you know!”

“We have a common goal; that’s all that’s ever mattered between us.”

Gold frowned, puzzled. “You and I, we’ve never…?” He made a vague gesture.

“What? No! God, no. It’s you and Belle, all the way; I told you that.”

“Right. The help.” Now he was looking at her like she was crazy. 

She sighed and offered, “Bae loves her.” 

His face went soft again. “I guess he would, wouldn’t he?”

“They’re close.”

“I see. Well! As much as I love a good party-” _Since when?_ “I’m afraid I must decline. Getting you back is my job, fixing what you broke is your job.”

“Great.” She looked at Hook.

“Common goals, Swan,” he said. “That’s what we have. I want to get home as much as you do.”

“Fine.”

Gold was at least helpful enough to transport them straight to the castle (Even if the usual teleportation induced nausea was ten times worse in a corset. Everything was ten times worse in a corset - this dress was absurd. She was going to get Gold back for it later, she swore).

They met Midas and then wove through the crowd, looking for David or any sign of Mary Margaret. When they stumbled upon the dance floor, Hook actually had the gall to hold out his hand in invitation.

“No,” Emma said.

“Swan,” Hook pleaded.

“Hell, no. I’m not dancing with you.”

“We’ll attract attention if we don’t.”

“Bull. Most people aren’t dancing.”

“Most older people. Young ladies are expected to dance.”

She looked around. OK, he was right. And the thing was (although she would never confess this to anyone), she would have liked to have given it a try - with almost anyone else. Henry. David. Hell, if it were Gold here, telling her the same thing, she would have taken his scaly hand and given it a shot just to get the job done.

But not Hook. Not after what she’d just learned. “Tell them we’re from a kingdom that doesn’t dance. Tell them were from … Elmore.”

“I’ve never heard of such a kingdom.”

“Rent Footloose.”

“What?”

“Never mind. We’re here to find Snow, not dance. Pay attention.”

He actually pouted. “As milady wishes.”

“Don’t… you know what? Never mind.”

XxXxXxX

Killian had botched it. Really, he’d known that since Zelena had used him to take Emma’s magic, but when he’d seen that beam of light in the sky he’d dared to hope that he had been given a second chance.

But this little adventure had only shown Emma the worst parts of himself, the parts he was trying to change. But was he really? He didn’t know. All he knew was that he was in love with Emma, and something about her made him want to be a better man. Clearly, it was too late.

_I’ll get her home._

That, at least, he could do.

Charming arrived, and the announcement was made that Snow had been spotted in the castle. They rushed to her aid, and that’s when everything went to hell.

_She should have come with the bloody crocodile._

XxXxXxX

_Goddamnit, Regina._

Emma was now sitting in a dungeon cell for the crime of abetting Snow White, Hook was nowhere to be found, and her mother hadn’t even ended up with the goddammed ring. She tried calling Gold, but like that first time in the woods, he never came. Either he was busy with the wand, afraid of screwing something up with the timeline, or whatever god had engineered this insanity was blocking him.

Or he was just a capricious bastard.

No. He was a lot of things, but not capricious, not when it came to Bae. _Still a bastard, though._

Well, she wasn’t going to wait for the Dark One to save her. As disturbing as it was to think of Nate, he had taught her how to pick a lock. Knowing now what he was and who he was based on, she wondered if Bae had that skill, and if he did, where it had come from. Locks seemed too industrial for Neverland.

She got the lock open and the one on her neighbor’s cell too, and then the two of them dashed frantically through the dungeons - until they ran straight into David, Ruby, and, “Hook!”

“Swan. Fancy seeing you here.”

“You came back for me?”

“Of course. Did you think I would abandon you to save my own hide?”

“Yeah, actually.”

“Well, he didn’t,” David said, “And unless we want all our hides on the line, I suggest we make our way out of here.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Me too,” the woman she had rescued agreed.

Hook stared at her as she ran by him, then looked at Emma. “Swan, you didn’t.”

“She was going to be executed. What did you want me to do? Leave her to die?”

“Yes. We aren’t meant to change anything; you have no idea what the repercussions of this will be. Suppose Regina tears through the countryside looking for this woman?”

“Regina doesn’t know who she is; she’s just a peasant to her.”

“Hey,” David called, “You can catch up later; we need to get a move on.”

Maybe Hook had a point, but Emma was not going to tolerate a killer scolding her for saving a life. She’d been given a second chance to save this woman; it had felt like a sign.

Henry would want her to save her.

Seething, Emma followed David and Ruby. Only later did the reality sink in: Hook had risked his life to come back for her.

XxXxXxX

While they had escaped the dungeons, Regina had caught Snow. Killian, Emma, and their companions watched in horror as Regina executed her in the courtyard. Emma gasped, and Killian was about to reach out to her but he stayed his hand. He knew that she had no interest in being comforted by a rapist and a murderer. 

Killian looked back out into the courtyard as the flames consumed Snow’s body. He and Regina were not so different. He’d never mourned any of his own victims; it felt obscene to mourn one of hers.

Emma and the werewolf reached out to each other in mutual comfort, and then they had to leave. Killian had sworn to get Emma out of here. He would do exactly that.

XxXxXxX

Mary Margaret was dead. Emma couldn’t believe it.

_Not that I was ever great at believing._

She thought of those months during the curse, when she’d had no idea that Mary Margaret was family but somehow felt like she was just the same. Movies. Hot chocolate with cinnamon. She thought of Henry, and how he would never know his grandmother now… _wait._

She reached out and grabbed Hook’s arm. “I’m still here,” she whispered.

He looked at her hand on his arm and then her face, confusion giving way to realization. “Snow died. You should have faded away…”

“But I didn’t.”

“She must have survived somehow. How?”

“Magic, it must have been!”

“Rumplestiltskin?”

“I did call him earlier, and she is important to his plans.” 

“Then why did he not present himself?”

“Maybe he didn’t want to be spotted, mess up the timeline. Maybe he’s trolling us, who knows? We need to call him again.”

He frowned in confusion. “Trolling? What does a bridge have to do with this?”

She shook her head. “I’ll explain later. Come on.” 

She led him further into the woods; it wouldn’t be a good idea for Ruby and David to overhear their exchange with Gold. “Ah!” Hook said, swatting at an insect.

“Scared of bugs?” Emma laughed.

“Not scared, bloody annoyed.” He swatted at it again, and it flew towards Emma.

“That is a big one.” She took a step back but it still managed to land on her. 

Hook reached back to swat it, but a woman’s voice called out, “Wait!” Emma looked up to see the Blue Fairy hovering above them. “Don’t harm her!”

“What?” Emma asked, glaring. OK, perhaps there was one more person who would have been a worse companion than Hook on this little adventure.

“That is Snow White. She used dark fairy dust to escape Regina’s execution. She has been calling to me.”

“The dark fairy dust…” That was from the Book; Henry had been looking at it just today.

Emma looked at the bug. “M- Snow?”

Blue smiled, and for the first time her smile did not make Emma sick. “Yes, child.” Mary Margaret the bug launched herself off Emma’s arm towards the fairy who transformed her back into a human in mid-air.

“Blue! You came!” Mary Margaret exclaimed as she stumbled.

“Of course I came. I will always be here for you, Snow.”

Mary Margaret smiled, and Emma could not help smiling too. She really had thought she’d been gone forever, and the feeling had been devastating. _I can’t go back to New York. I can’t take Henry away from his family. I can’t take_ me _away from my family._

“Thank you,” Mary Margaret said to Blue.

“You are very welcome, Snow, but there is someone else you should thank.” Mary Margaret looked at Emma and Hook.

“I… don’t think we’ve met. Thank you. Why…?”

Hook rallied like a champ. “A favor to Prince James,” he said before Emma could think of anything.

“Yes,” Emma agreed. “He’s around here somewhere.”

“Through there,” Blue said, gesturing back towards the clearing with a knowing smile.

“Well,” Mary Margaret said, smiling softly. “How about that. Well, whatever your reasons, I do thank you both. And thank you, Blue.”

“Of course.”

Snow walked away, but Blue still hovered there. _What does she want? Does she know why we are here?_ The Blue Fairy made eye contact, and she clearly had something to say. Emma was not in the habit of giving Reul Ghorm anything but a piece of her mind, but the fairy could screw things up big time if she wanted to. 

“Are you coming?” Mary Margaret asked Emma and Hook.

“Oh, we’ll be right there. We, ah, need a word. In private,” Emma said.

Mary Margaret looked at them, considering, but agreed, “All right,” and left.

Blue flew lower. “What do you want?” Emma asked, trying not to sound combative.

“Why…” Reul Ghorm’s tiny, glowing body expanded into Rumplestiltskin in all his Dark One glory. “To get out of that glamor, for one thing.”

“Gold!”

“What about it?” he asked, blinking in puzzlement.

“No, I mean, you… you heard my call?”

“I heard the pirate; he said my name.”

“You didn’t hear me earlier? In the dungeon?”

He titled his head. “No.”

“Huh. Anyway, you’re here.”

“And a good thing too, or the pirate would have destroyed the entire timeline. Perhaps I should have come with you to the ball after all.”

“It worked out,” Hook said defensively.

“Thanks to me. Let’s see how my little nudge went.” He pulled out a crystal ball and they gathered around it. In it, they could see David and Mary Margaret talking.

“That looks like a good start to me,” Emma said. “How do we know if the timeline has been restored?”

“How should I know? You’re the ones that buggered it up.”

“OK, what happens next?” Emma asked herself aloud. “Next is the… the troll bridge. Oh, crap.”

“What is it?” Hook asked.

“On the troll bridge, Mary Margaret saved David’s life using the dark fairy dust.”

“Which she no longer has,” Hook said.

“So it appears your work it not yet complete,” Gold said. “Call my name when you’re done!” He raised a hand in what Emma recognized as a magical gesture.

“Wait,” Emma said. “Have you figured out how to use the wand?”

“My research is complete, yes.”

Emma sighed in relief. At least one thing was going right. “OK, good.”

Hook looked at her then at Gold, grudgingly muttering, “There’s another matter.”

Gold sighed dramatically. “Oh, what have you done now? At this rate, the timeline will never be restored.”

“The woman,” Hook said, looking at Emma.

“I’m not going to apologize for that. She was going to be executed.”

“She was meant to be. You have no idea what the consequences of saving her will be. She could end up giving birth to a horrible tyrant, or giving away Snow White’s whereabouts to Regina.”

Gold made an odd grunting noise. “As irritating as it is to admit, the pirate does have a point. If she was meant to die, her presence in the Enchanted Forest could have far-reaching consequences.”

“Then we take her out of it,” Emma said, “Bring her with us.”

“Or I could just kill her now.” 

Emma stared. In all the glitter and giggling, she’d forgotten for a moment that Gold’s hands were just as dirty as Hook’s (although, to her knowledge, he’d never raped anybody). “Don’t you dare,” she growled. 

He just shrugged, utterly unconcerned by what he has just suggested. “Have it your way, dearie, but I will protect the timeline. If she refuses to accompany you, I will have to kill her.”

“She’ll agree.”

She didn’t. 

In the end, they had to knock her out.

XxXxXxX

Snow was actually able to deal with the trolls on her own, and neither Killian nor Emma missed the looks that passed between the prince and bandit princess. “Just like the Book,” Emma said, “We’ve done it.”

“Then let’s collect our captive and go.” He’d kept his promise; he would get Emma home.

As soon as Killian hoisted the unconscious woman over his shoulder, Emma called, “Rumplestiltskin!” and the three of them disappeared, reappearing in the Dark One’s great hall. An impressive array of potion paraphernalia had been laid out on the table.

“You were successful?” The Dark One asked. Gods, his twittering voice was grating. Killian could admit to himself (although he would never admit it anyone else) that he was grateful that the crocodile’s Storybrooke form looked and acted more like the spinner than the imp. He could never have foregone his revenge if he’d had to constantly look at the face of the monster that killed Milah.

“They’re back on track,” Emma answered with a smile.

“And I see you got your additional passenger to, ahem, ‘volunteer’,” the Dark One responded with an evil giggle.

“It got the job done,” Killian said defensively.

“So it did.”

“So is all this for the portal? I didn’t think wands required potions to work,” Emma said.

“They don’t. This is for me. I know too much about my future; the only way to protect it is to forget it!”

“And what about the wand?” Emma asked. “You said you could send us back.”

“Actually, I said that my research is complete. I have learned that only someone who traveled through the portal can use the wand. So unless either if you can wield magic… can you?” He tossed the wand to Emma, who looked at Hook. He’d taken her magic. _No. No, it can’t end here!_ “Thought not,” the crocodile continued cheerfully.

“So you just expect us to stay here? What about protecting your precious future?” Killian demanded. He’d sworn to get Emma home, and he would do it, wand or no.

“That’s exactly what I’m going to do,” the Dark One answered, his smile cruel and knowing.

Killian drew his sword. “He means to kill us, Swan.”

The crocodile cackled. “No. I mean to put you someplace safe. Someplace even I dare not go. Where I store the magic that is too dark or unpredictable even for me.”

“Rumplest-” Emma objected, but the Dark One waved his hand, and they were transported to a gaping catacomb. _Bloody hell._

Killian’s sword did not make the trip. Sighing, he deposited the woman on a nearby table. _He means to kill us slowly._ Starvation and thirst were a terrible way to die. Of course the crocodile would want Killian’s death to linger, but Emma (and their passenger) did not deserve to die this way. _He even took my means to hurry it._

Killian spotted his reflection in a mirror and made a weak joke about the glamor being lifted. Emma was still looking around, dazed. _I’m sorry, love._ Unable to sit still and wait for the end, Killian started search cabinets. If nothing else, he might be able to find a blade to hasten things, if it came to that.

“What are you doing? Don’t touch anything!”

“If the crocodile is afraid of these things, there must be a reason. There might be a way out of here.”

“You heard what he said,” Emma countered, her voice hard.

“He said we needed magic.”

“Which I now no longer have, thanks to Zelena.” _And me. Wait…_

“The monkeys…”

“What about the monkeys?”

“When Zelena died, all her spells were undone. That means your powers should have returned.”

“Well, they didn’t,” she said flatly.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure! Do you think I’m faking it?”

“Have you tried? Honestly tried?”

“Trust me, if I could use that wand, I would be sending us home right now!”

“Would you? I saw you in New York, Swan. That is the life you want. Not fighting witches or working magic, but you need to! Just once more, you need to!”

“You don’t know a damn thing about me!” she shouted. “OK, yeah, I liked New York. I liked it a lot. But I just watched my mother die, you asshole! I have a family in Storybrooke, a family that knows me a hell of a lot better than you do! I need to get back to them! I need to get home!”

Killian smiled. “Swan.”

“What?” she snarled.

“Look down.”

The wand was aglow with Emma’s magic and righteous indignation. She stared at it, awed. “I’d say you’ve got your magic back,” Killian said with a grin. “Shall we go?”

Emma grinned back, and if Killian had not already been mad for her before, he certainly was now. To hide his reaction, he hurried over to the table and hoisted their passenger into his arms. 

Holding the wand before her, Emma lowered her head in concentration. A moment, then another, and the portal opened, glowing orange like before. “Ladies first,” he said smirking.

“Go on then, you’re carrying one,” she shot back.

There really wasn’t any way to argue with that. “True enough,” he said. His heart in his throat, he stepped through the portal.

XxXxXxX

Emma was about to follow Hook when Gold appeared behind her. “You’ve opened it?” he snarled, grabbing her arm.

“Let me go!”

“My son,” he demanded, “What happens when I find him?”

Emma tugged, but Gold held her with supernatural strength. “I thought you wanted to forget!”

“I will. But before I do, I need to know… does he forgive me?” And once again he transformed from murderous beast to desperate father in an instant.

“Yes!” Emma assured him. 

His grip loosened slightly. “Truly?”

Emma stopped pulling. “It’s a long, hard road. He makes you work for it. But yes, he forgives you. He loves you. I know that all you want is to be with him again. I want the same thing. Please, let me get back to my son, so you can get back to yours.” 

His smile was purely joyous and utterly familiar. Man or beast, he was a marshmallow when it came to Bae and always had been. “Yes, yes!” he cackled, “Mustn’t tarry, dearie!” A stiff wind came out of nowhere and pushed her through the portal. As she fell through, she saw Rumplestiltskin waving with one hand and holding the memory potion in the other.

_See you later, Gold._

“Oof!” 

She landed hard on the dirt floor of the barn, Hook and their prisoner sprawled next to her.

“Emma!”

“Who… Elsa?” The blonde was running towards them, light flurries trailing behind her.

“What happened?” Elsa asked, extending a hand to help Emma up. Emma took it.

“Thanks. We got sucked in. It went a little wonky for a while there, but I think we got everything back on track.”

“And who is she?” Elsa asked, crouching down next to the still unconscious woman.

“I don’t know. Regina - the Evil Queen - was going to execute her. We had to bring her back with us to protect the timeline. Where is everyone?”

“At the Sherriff’s Station.”

Emma looked at Hook. She didn’t trust him. She couldn’t trust him. But pirate or not, he had come though in the end. Both Regina and Gold had been given second chances they didn’t necessarily deserve. Was it really fair to deny Hook the same just because he creeped her out? “Come on,” she said. “I’m sure Gold will want to know everything we said and did. A second opinion would help.”

Hook smiled ruefully. “I doubt the Dark One would be interested in anything I have to say.” 

“The Dark One?” the woman asked, clutching her head as she came to.

“Er, yeah. A lot of things are different here. Gold - Rumplestiltskin - is a…. consultant of sorts for us.”

Elsa helped the woman to her feet, as she looked around dazed. “So you really are from the future? What is this place?”

Emma smiled ruefully. “Welcome to Storybrooke.”


	32. Building on the Ashes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Discussion of rape

Rumplestiltskin watched the farmhouse burn. The voices in his head were a chorus of anger and dark glee, and he didn’t even realize he’d been crying until his phone rang for the forth time, tearing his eyes away from the flames. He pulled the device from his pocket. _Belle._

Not even thinking, he answered it. “Hel-hello?”

“Rumple! Rumple, is that you? Are you all right?”

His instinct was to lie, of course. He was a broken, pathetic thing, but there was no reason to burden his family with it. But she sounded so scared, and he was so tired. “No,” he sobbed quietly.

“Where are you?” she asked urgently, “Are you hurt? Stay right were you are; we’ll come to you.”

“N-no, that’s not… you don’t have to do that.”

“Rumple, please, where are you?”

He didn’t want her here. He didn’t want Bae here. He never wanted to see this place again. He snapped his fingers, and the flames extinguished. The charred frame of the house creaked in the chill wind, and the timbers started to splinter. Before it could collapse completely, he took himself away. He landed awkwardly, stumbling into the banister in the foyer of his home. His cane fell away with a clatter, so he clung to the newel post instead. “I’m here,” he said quietly.

“Here…” He heard her heels clicking on the wooden floors, and he looked up, still clutching his phone and the post. “Rumple!”

“Belle…”

She threw her arms around him briefly, then pulled back, her hands gripping his shoulders tightly. “What happened? Where did you go? We were so worried about you!”

_Monster. Useless. All you do is cause them more pain._

“I’m sorry,” he choked out.

She embraced him again and coaxed him to sit on the stair. “Sit here. I need to call Baelfire and tell him that you’re here.”

“He’s not here?”

“No. He went to the shop to look for you.” Rumplestiltskin inhaled sharply, knowing the wreckage he would find there. “When you weren’t there,” Belle continued, “He reached out to Tinker Bell, hoping that she could help us find you.”

“…Oh.”

He’d made a terrible mess of things. But he always did, didn’t he? “I’m sorry,” he said again. 

Belle rubbed his back. “We know. You were frightened; we understand that. But please, don’t do that again. You scared the life out of us.”

“I’m sorry,” he said a third time, and she kissed his temple, then guided his head to rest against her shoulder.

“It’s all right.”

She called Bae, and the phone was close enough to his ear that he could hear both sides of the conversation. “Belle, have you heard something?” his boy asked.

“He’s here, Bae; he came home.”

“He did? Where the hell did he go? Did he… find Malcolm?”

“No,” Rumplestiltskin said. Bae was angry. _He should be._

_You’ve ruined it. You gave up everything for him. Your power. Your freedom. It will never be enough. He doesn’t love you. He never loved you._

Rumplestiltskin pulled away from Belle sharply. _That’s a lie!_ Belle stared at him, her bright, blue eyes filled with fear. “No, Bae, he didn’t,” she said, “Come home, please. I need you here,” she said. _I need you here._

_She’s afraid of you. She should be._

_I would never hurt her._

_You have. You threw her in a dungeon. You shook her like a ragdoll and threw her away like garbage. You betrayed her._

Rumplestiltskin started crying again. It was too much. The voices. The weight of his past deeds. The months of imprisonment and abuse. The persona he’d been clinging too crumbled to dust, and the only reason he did not vanish right then was that Belle had begged him not to. She deserved that much.

Features twisted in concern, Belle put her phone down and reached out to him. Too weak to spare her the monster, he let her pull him close. “Oh, Rumple, it’s all right. You’re here. We’re safe. Everything will be fine.”

_No, it won’t. It never was._

“I betrayed you,” he confessed. Perhaps if she understood, she would save herself.

She didn’t pull away, only asked, “What do you mean?”

“I didn’t want to. She threatened Bae’s life. I hated every moment, but she made me _choose_ , Belle.”

She did pulled away then, but only so far that she could look into his eyes. She cupped his cheek, her fingers surely pricking on the stubble growing there. He sobbed again. “Choose what?” she asked. He didn’t answer. “Choose what, Rumple?” she asked again.

“ _Her._ Choose her.”

“Choose her how?” she was horrified now. 

“S-sex,” he managed to bite out.

“… Sex? She raped you?”

“No. I mean, yes, but not always. She didn’t always use the dagger. I had a choice, Belle, I could have-”

“Risked Baelfire’s life? No, no, no. Darling, darling, listen to me. You did _nothing_ wrong. This was not your fault, none of it. You did not betray me.”

“I chose…”

“To save Bae. That’s rape, Rumple, it wasn’t your fault.”

“But I…”

“Rumple, what if it were me? What of that disgusting Sherriff Nottingham had demanded I sleep with him or else he would kill my father? Would you call that anything but rape?”

The very thought of someone doing that to his precious Belle make Rumplestiltskin shrivel up from the horror of it and rage with the desire to see that person dead. The voices of his curse laughed and cheered him on.

_Kill him! Destroy him! Protect what’s yours!_

“Rumple, Rumple are you there? Answer me.”

“I… I…”

“Do you see? Do you understand? You did nothing wrong. It was her; she is the monster.”

He crumpled again, his body wracked by hideous sobs. Belle, sweet, forgiving, amazing Belle, just pulled him close and rocked him like a babe. “You’re here. You’re safe now. She’d dead. She can’t hurt any of us anymore. You’re safe. You’re safe…”

_I’m not. None of us are._

But he couldn’t tell her that. Too tired to fight anymore, he simply sat there and cried.

XxXxXxX

Bae ran the rest of the way home. He’d send Tink back to the party with a message for David and Mary Margaret. His father had been found, and they were to stay away until they heard from him. Bae didn’t know exactly what was going on with his father, but he had an idea, and it would be no good for anyone if his father was subjected to another interrogation.

When Bae opened the front door, he found Papa and Belle sitting on the staircase, his father sobbing as if the world had ended. He’d never done that before, at least not where Bae could see. Even when Bae was going to be drafted Papa had always had a plan, something to try to stave off disaster.

And there had been the rages. Bae had seen his father undone by anger, entirely consumed by the curse that possessed him. But not this. Not sadness. Not despair. Papa didn’t hear him come in, but Belle looked up, gesturing for Bae to come closer. He crouched down next to them.

His father jumped when Bae asked, “Papa?” and placed a hand on his back.

“Bae!” Papa stared at him with wide, frightened eyes.

“Yes, Papa, I’m here. I need to ask you something, and whatever you tell me I’ll believe you, all right?”

“Bae, I…”

“Did you hurt anyone?”

“No! No, Bae, I swear! We have a deal!” Bae hugged him fiercely.

“I believe you. I believe you.” He did. Papa wouldn’t be like this if he’d hurt somebody. He wouldn’t be like this if he had killed Zelena. He’d hurt people to feel powerful; he obviously did not feel powerful now.

“Bae, I swear…”

“I know. I believe you. You promised, and I believe you. I trust you. You said you’d stop and you did. You saved us. I trust you.” He was as much the spinner as the Dark One now. He was the man that done everything in his power to give him a childhood full of love, the man that had succumbed to his curse, and the man that spent 300 years clawing his way back from it.

“Bae…”

“It’s all right. We’ll figure this out.” His chin hooked over his father’s shoulder, Bae could smell smoke on Papa’s clothing. But he refused to jump to conclusions. Obviously, something had happened, but with Ingrid and Malcolm about, Bae was unwilling to let his faith be shaken. He’d lived that way for a long, long time; he didn’t think he’d survive having to live that way again.

Belle embraced Papa from behind, and they sat that way for quite a while, the three of them crowded together on a too small step. Eventually, Papa began to stir, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe his eyes. Bae stood up and held out his hands. Papa stared at them blankly for a moment before taking them, and Bae pulled him to his feet. Another brief embrace, and Belle asked. “Rumple, can you tell us where you went?”

“You were looking for Malcolm,” Bae supplied, “You took all the tracking potion from the shop.”

“I… yes. I thought… I went to the farmhouse. It’s the only place I could have possibly found a personal item of his.”

“And I take it you didn’t?” 

Papa shook his head. “No. There was nothing.”

“So you burned it down?” Bae asked quietly. Papa froze and looked at him. “I can smell the smoke,” he said.

“…Yes. But only the house, Bae, I swear. There was no one there; not a soul.”

“I know. I said I believe you and I do. Believe me?” It might have been asking too much, after how suspicious he’d been for so long, but Papa had always hoped they could move past it. Now that they had, he could believe it, right? 

Papa tried to smile. “Of course. Of course, I believe you, Bae.”

Papa always responded better to touch. Bae wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “We’ll figure this out. We’ll find them.”

“Them?” Papa asked.

“Malcolm and Ingrid,” Belle supplied, taking Papa’s hand.

“Ingrid… of course. Of course!”

“Can you track Ingrid?” Bae asked.

“I can try, but our attempts in the Enchanted Forest failed. I… I don’t know what to do next.”

“Come into the kitchen,” Belle said, “I’ll make us some tea, and we can figure it out. You don’t have to do this alone, Rumple.” He looked at her, head bowed with guilt, and nodded. She smiled and kissed his cheek. 

“Don’t leave again,” Bae said, “After everything, you don’t get to do that.”

“Bae, I didn’t mean…”

“I know. I know you didn’t. But you need to let us in. You need to let us know what’s going on. We’re family, Papa, we need to support each other.”

Bae thought Papa might start crying again, but he didn’t. He simply followed Belle into the kitchen and started making tea. Bae made coffee. They were in for a long night.

XxXxXxX

“It’s a bit overwhelming isn’t it?” Elsa asked, as the woman Emma had rescued gaped at the unfamiliar machines and buildings of Storybrooke. “My name is Elsa, what’s yours?”

“I’m… Marion.”

Emma stopped walking. “Marion? And Regina was going to… you wouldn’t happen to be married to a man named Robin Hood, would you?”

“Do you know him? Is he here?” she asked eagerly.

_Oh. Oh, dear._

“Yes,” Elsa said. “He’s here. And your son.”

“Roland? My baby? He survived?”

“Yeah,” Emma said. “There’s something you should know...”

Marion swallowed hard. “He married someone else, didn’t he? Robin thought I was dead, and he married someone else.”

“Oh, they’re not married,” Elsa said hastily.

“Oh, that’s good then. But he has a new lover? I can’t blame him. He must have been lonely. I don’t even know how long it’s been.”

“That’s… kind of a complicated question to answer,” Emma said. “But yeah, he does. The thing is… his new lover is… well, it’s Regina.”

Marion glared at her. “Is that some kind of joke? It’s not funny. My husband would never take up with the woman he thought murdered me. Unless… did she enchant him? You must help me save him!”

“It’s not a joke. And she did not enchant him,” Emma said. “At least I don’t think she did…”

“She didn’t,” Elsa said. “You didn’t see them together during the missing year. She was more wary of him than he was of her.”

“I can’t… I can’t believe this!” Marion cried. “It’s not possible that my Robin would willingly… be with that woman!”

“You know what? Why don’t I call Robin?” Emma offered. “He can meet us and explain.”

“Call?” Marion asked.

“With this,” Emma pulled out her phone.

“I’ll call David,” Elsa said, “They’re expecting us, but they should know, well…”

“I don’t understand,” Marion said. “You say you have allied with the Dark One. You say that my husband and the Evil Queen are lovers. What kind of mad future is this?”

“One with larger threats that some of us… former villains have agreed to help fight,” Hook said.

Marion looked at his hook then at his face and moved back a step. “You… and how many innocent people have you killed?”

Hook glanced at Emma briefly. “Too many.”

Marion took another step back, looking from Hook to Emma to Elsa. “And what about the two of you?”

“None,” Elsa said quickly. “I know it’s hard to understand, but Regina and Rumplestiltskin have reformed. They are our allies.”

“And what about him?” she asked of Hook.

“He’s useful occasionally,” Emma drawled.

“Swan, you flatter me,” Hook said with a flirtatious smile. Emma rolled her eyes.

“How can you agree to work with these, these monsters?!” Marion demanded.

“Because we needed them. And because… there was a time that I thought I was a monster,” Elsa said.

“What do you mean? You said you weren’t like them!”

“It’s true that I never hurt anyone on purpose - not anyone innocent, anyway. But I do have magic, and when I was younger, I could not control it. The only way I learned to was to have someone believe in me. My sister. If she had not believed in me, I would have become a monster.”

Marion shook her head. “You don’t understand. You don’t know her. The Evil Queen slaughtered entire villages for _fun._ She enjoyed it. She terrorized us, and now she’s taken my husband! You cannot trust her!”

“I understand why you feel that way,” Elsa said, and she thanked Archie in her head for teaching her how to speak about emotions with other people. “Regina has done terrible, terrible things. But she also saved us from her sister, a witch who was going to destroy us all. We could not have succeeded without her.”

Elsa heard Emma on the phone, quietly conferring with Robin. Hook watched, clearly not knowing what to do or say. Not the Elsa was sure she was saying the right thing either. “I know Robin,” Elsa continued, “I know he missed you. He will be so happy to know that you are alive.”

“Are you certain?” Marion asked. 

“Yes, I’m certain,” Elsa assured her.

Emma finished her call. “Robin said he’d meet us at the Sherriff’s Station. He’s going to let Regina know what’s going on. And he’s bringing Roland.” 

“Roland. My baby. He won’t remember me. He was so young…”

“You can make new memories,” Elsa offered, but Marion just looked at her oddly.

The rest of the walk to the Sherriff’s Station was extremely uncomfortable.

XxXxXxX

“She what?!” Regina demanded.

“She brought back Marion. From the past,” Robin said.

“Why would she… no, no you don’t need to answer that. Of course she would do that. Abandon all logic in the name of ‘making things right’!”

“Regina-” David began.

“Don’t you dare, Charming! Your daughter jeopardized the entire timeline with her rank idiocy. I’m done.” Regina looked at Robin. She’d known what it meant for them as soon as he had explained. Marion was his first love, the woman who made him more than a common thief. She was Roland’s mother. There was no place for Regina in his life, not as long as Marion was alive. “Do what you need to do,” she told him. “But don’t contact me again.”

She grabbed her coat and left. Zelena was dead, the portal neutralized, and the life Regina had finally thought she was going to be able to have had been torn away at the last minute anyway. _Villains don’t get happy endings._

“Wait!”

Regina turned. It wasn’t Robin. The puppet was running after her. “ _What_ do you want?”

“You look like you’re about to make a bad life decision, and I’m overdue for one. I thought you could use some company.”

“Are you coming on to me?” she demanded. Yes, he was a sex-crazed degenerate, but he’d never directed it at her before. He knew what she could do to him, and the puppet was, at his core, a coward.

“What? No! Not that you’re not, you know, very attractive,” he babbled, “But I know you would regret it in the morning, and then you would make _me_ regret it in the morning. I meant booze. Lots and lost of booze.”

“You want to have a drink with me,” she said flatly.

“I get the feeling that you’re going to need a lot more than one.”

_Hell yes._ “What are you dong?” she demanded. “You and I are not friends.”

“That’s no problem; most of the people I’ve gotten drunk with were not my friends.”

He had a strange eager schoolboy look about him, utterly at odds with what he was proposing. And he wasn’t flirting with her either. She knew what his flirting looked like (the entire town knew what he flirting looked like). “No offense… actually, yes, I do mean offence. Go away. I don’t want your pity, and I sure as hell don’t need romantic advice from Woody the wonder slut.”

He blinked once than started laughing. “That’s great. Can that me my title now?”

“Did you hear me? Get lost!”

“Do I get a cape?”

“Puppet!”

He sighed. “Look, we’re not friends, not in the traditional sense of the word…”

“Not in any sense of the word.”

“…but I’m not going to let you get drunk alone.”

“Who said anything about me getting drunk?”

“You mean that wasn’t your plan?”

“What plan? You think I have a plan? I just found out… why am I talking to you? You, of all people, could never understand!”

“Never understand what? Thinking that everything is going to be OK and then having it go to shit? Because that has actually happened to me. A couple of times.”

“And that was my fault - the Evil Queen’s fault. So I repeat: why are you here?”

“Actually, it wasn’t your fault.”

“I cast the curse!”

“The curse didn’t send me here, remember? You didn’t send me through the wardrobe. You didn’t make me fuck up my second chance to help Emma. And you didn’t make it so that breaking the curse did not cure me. But you did bring magic back, so thanks for that. That made the whole wood thing a lot more comfortable, you know.”

“So you’re the one person in town I haven’t personally screwed over. Is that why they sent you?”

“No one sent me. I just think-” 

“Listen!” she said, pointing a finger at him. “You may have told a few fibs and run away from your responsibilities, but you have no idea what it is to come back from being the Evil Queen. I _killed_ people.”

“And I almost did. I mean, I was willing to.”

She gaped. “What are you talking about?”

He sighed and shifted nervously but answered her question nonetheless. “When I thought I was dying. The Dragon in Hong Kong. He agreed to cure me, but I didn’t have the money. So I stole it. Turns out that I stole it from the magic hunter that was there to kill him, but I didn’t know that at the time. I thought she was there to cure her cancer, and I stole it anyway. When she showed up in town I was so relieved-”

“And that’s the difference between you and me!” Regina said. “I am not relived! I am angry! I don’t regret killing that woman before, or any of them, because that’s what led me here, to what I _thought_ was going to be my happy ending!”

“OK. That’s… terrifying. But why are you telling me this?”

She stalked closer and hissed in his face, “So that you will go away and leave me alone!”

He stood his ground and tiled his head. “No. No, that’s not the reason. You can teleport. If all you wanted was to get away from me, you’d be home by now. No, I think what you really want to know is if I will leave after you tell me something like that. You’re expecting me to. But I don’t think I will.”

“You should. It’s not wise to be around me right now.” She should have left. She didn’t know why she didn’t.

He only smiled. “I’m not known for doing the wise thing. Come on, what’s your drink? Whiskey? Apple martinis?”

“Are you somehow under the impression that you are funny? Because you are not.”

“I’ll be funny after a few drinks.”

Regina snorted. “Unlikely.” But still she stayed.

He smiled. “Come on,” he said. 

“Where? Not that dive bar.”

“Hey, don’t knock the Rabbit Hole. They’ve reached that perfect balance of wanting your money and complete apathy regarding anything else about you. It’s the ideal place to get drunk.”

Getting drunk did sound appealing. And there was something pathetic in doing it all alone in a too-empty mansion. If there was anything Regina still had left, it was her self-respect. “If you try anything fresh with me, turning to wood will be the least of your problems.”

He smiled. “Understood.” 

He turned towards the docks, and she followed him.

XxXxXxX

“Where’s Gold?” Emma asked once they reached the Sherriiff’s station. Regina was missing too, but Robin was there waiting for them, so she assumed that he had broken the news. He took Marion’s hands and stared at her eyes as if to convince himself that she was real.

“Regina accused him of murdering Zelena, and he disappeared,” Anna explained with her usual lack of tact. “Bae and Belle went after him. He was upset.”

Emma sighed, pinching her nose. _Just what we need._ “And I take it Regina left?”

Robin nodded. “August went after her,” Anna explained.

“August?”

“She was upset.”

“Is it true?” Marion asked Robin. “Were you… with that woman?”

Robin sighed. “Yes. She is a very different person now than she was before.”

“She killed me. Would have killed me. It’s all so confusing…”

“You made me a better person,” he said. “Wanted to do the same for her. Marion, please, come see Roland. He’s with Little John at the diner.”

“Diner?”

Robin smiled sadly. “I can explain everything. Please, come with me.”

Marion smiled bravely and took his arm. “All right.” On their way out, she looked back at Emma and Hook. “Thank you,” she said. “For saving my life.”

“Not a problem,” Emma said. Maybe it was, but she was not going to apologize for it. She’d lowered Regina’s body count by one, and if Regina really was on the straight and narrow now, she ought to at least appreciate that. 

But it sucked, having a relationship implode. Emma knew that. She hoped drinks with August would help Regina keep her head. Henry finally had his adopted mom back, and the last thing Emma needed was another enemy. “So what are we doing about Gold?” Emma asked David.

David sighed. “He’s the Dark One again. There’s really nothing we can do, if he doesn’t want to let us. I say let Bae and Belle handle it; he’ll listen to them.”

“I take it you don’t think he did it?”

“Our theory now is Ingrid. Apparently, she was pretty upset about what Zelena did you Elsa’s magic and yours.”

“That’s right!” Anna said. 

“And I take it no one has been to her place yet?”

“No,” David answered. 

“Fine, I’ll go. You should probably get back to the party; tell Mary Margaret what’s going on. And did anyone pick up Henry?”

“Ruby went, but I should go with you.”

“No, we will,” Elsa said. “It’s your son’s Naming Day, David, you should be with Snow.”

“Are you sure?”

“We’ve got it,” Emma said. 

“OK. Don’t be long; I’m not going to be the one to explain to Mary Margaret why you’re not there.”

Emma smiled. “We won’t. I’m not missing my little brother’s naming ceremony for anything.” _Not even a murder investigation._

_It should be over. Why isn’t it over?_

But Emma knew the answer to that. She was the Savior; it would never, never be over. But she wasn’t going to run from it. She was done running. “I don’t suppose you could use an extra hand, love?” Hook asked her hopefully.

David paused on his way out the door to hear her response. She’d already decided to give Hook a second chance, but that didn’t mean she was going to make it easy for him. She smiled. “We’re good. Why don’t you go with David? You can fill him in.”

David and Hook exchanged skeptical looks. “Fill him in on what?” Anna asked.

“Oh, you know, the usual stuff. Bandits. A prison break. Crashing a royal ball.” Emma wasn’t usually one to play games, but Hook was, and it seemed only fair to give him a taste of his own medicine. As he struggled for the words to explain himself to David, Emma gave him a shit-eating grin and gestured for Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff to follow her. As she walked past, Hook smiled back.

_Game on._

XxXxXxX

“So, what do you want to do?” Belle asked Rumple, reaching out to lay her hand on his wrist. She was horrified to learn what Zelena had done to him but was equally determined to show him that he was safe now. She’d never wished death on anyone before, but she was glad that Zelena was dead. And that, too, horrified her.

He took her hand and looked up from the chipped cup sitting innocently in front of him. “If it were a matter of want, Sweetheart, Ingrid and Malcolm would already be caught. I don’t know what step to take next.” She had no answers for him.

Bae stomach growled and they both looked at him. He shrugged sheepishly. “Sorry.”

But Rumple smiled. “Now that is a problem I can solve.” They’d taken an hour that afternoon to go grocery shopping, and the cupboards were once again full. He took a sip of his tea and stood up. “What would you like?”

His eyes were still red-rimmed, his hands shaking the barest degree. This was him coping, she knew, taking back his power by taking care of them. She’d done it herself after the hospital and again after Rumple had gone missing. 

Bae shrugged and smiled back. “Omelets?” 

Rumple’s smiled deepened. There was a story there that Rumple had never told her. Tonight she would ask. Forget about Ingrid and Malcolm; tonight Rumple needed to care for himself.

XxXxXxX

“Impressive,” Malcolm said, staring at the ice palace around them.

Ingrid already knew that she didn’t like the man. He was crude and she’d caught him staring at her behind once already. But he was useful. _The father of Rumplestiltskin?_

The Apprentice had told her that Rumplestiltskin would be her ally and provided the piece of information she was meant to offer him for his cooperation. Clearly, things had not gone according to plan, but his father would just have to do. Nothing was going to keep Ingrid from being with her sisters. 

She smiled at him. “Oh, you haven’t seen anything yet.”

He grinned back. “Then let’s get on with it, Lassie.”

END PART 3


End file.
